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Wentworth, Sir John

(Encyclopedia)Wentworth, Sir John, 1737–1820, colonial governor of New Hampshire, b. Portsmouth, N.H. On the forced resignation of his uncle, Benning Wentworth, he was commissioned (Aug., 1766) to succeed him bot...

anti-hero

(Encyclopedia)anti-hero, principal character of a modern literary or dramatic work who lacks the attributes of the traditional protagonist or hero. The anti-hero's lack of courage, honesty, or grace, his weaknesses...

Renwick, James

(Encyclopedia)Renwick, James, 1818–95, American architect, b. New York City, grad. Columbia, 1836. His design for Grace Church (1843–46) in New York City was followed by that for St. Patrick's Cathedral; he was...

Pontano, Giovanni

(Encyclopedia)Pontano, Giovanni jōvänˈnē pōntäˈnō [key], 1426–1503, Italian poet, historian, and statesman, who used also the Latin form Jovianus Pontanus. He was protected by Alfonso of Aragón, who made...

Young, Geoffrey Winthrop

(Encyclopedia)Young, Geoffrey Winthrop, 1876–1958, English writer, an authority on mountaineering. He was educated at Cambridge and later studied in Switzerland and France. Before 1914 he made an impressive recor...

riddle

(Encyclopedia)riddle, puzzling question, specifically one that consists of a fanciful description or definition of something to be guessed. A famous riddle was asked by the Sphinx: “What goes on four legs in the ...

Turnbull, Malcolm Bligh

(Encyclopedia)Turnbull, Malcolm Bligh, 1954–, Australian political leader, b. Sidney. Educated at the Univ. of Sidney and, as a Rhodes scholar, at Oxford, he practised law and was a journalist and a successful bu...

Mario

(Encyclopedia)Mario märˈyō [key], 1810–83, stage name of Giovanni Matteo, Cavaliere di Candia, Italian tenor. An officer of the Piedmontese guard, he went to Paris in 1836 and studied at the Paris Conservatory...

Plushenko, Evgeni Viktorovich

(Encyclopedia)Plushenko, Evgeni Viktorovich, 1982–, Russian figure skater. Plushenko debuted at the Russian Nationals in 1996, won the World Junior Championship a year later, and won the bronze medal at the World...

Montanism

(Encyclopedia)Montanism mŏnˈtənĭzəm [key], apocalyptic movement of the 2d cent. It arose in Phrygia (c.172) under the leadership of a certain Montanus and two female prophets, Prisca and Maximillia, whose entr...
 

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