Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) hallmark, mark impressed on silverwork or goldwork to signify official approval of the standard of purity of the metal, also called plate mark. The hallmark was introduced by statute in England in 130...

(Encyclopedia) Jordan, David Starr, 1851–1931, American scientist and educator, b. Gainesville, N.Y., M.S. Cornell, 1872, M.D. Indiana Medical College, 1875, and studied under Louis Agassiz at Penikese Island. He ...

(Encyclopedia) Ricardo, David, 1772–1823, British economist, of Dutch-Jewish parentage. At the age of 20 he entered business as a stockbroker and was so skillful in the management of his affairs that within five y...

(Encyclopedia) Grossman, David, 1954–, Israeli writer and peace activist, b. Jerusalem. He is widely recognized as the finest novelist in the generation that followed Amos Oz and A. B. Yehoshua. The son of a Polis...

(Encyclopedia) Cameron, David William Duncan kămˈərən [key], 1966–, British political leader, b. London. Educated at Eton and Oxford, he worked for the Conservative party's research department beginning in 198...

(Encyclopedia) Thompson, Sir John Sparrow David, 1844–94, Canadian political leader, b. Nova Scotia. He was elected (1877) to the provincial assembly, was briefly provincial prime minister, and then was made a jus...

(Encyclopedia) Scharnhorst, Gerhard Johann David von gĕrˈhärt yōˈhän däˈvēt fən shärnˈhôrst [key], 1755–1813, Prussian general. A Hanoverian army officer, military writer, and director of the war coll...

(Encyclopedia) Endara Galimany, Guillermo David, 1936–2009, Panamanian political leader. A lawyer and supporter of Arnulfo Arias, he served in the national assembly and was (1968) minister of planning and economic...

(Encyclopedia) Rhondda, David Alfred Thomas, 1st Viscount rŏnˈdə [key], 1856–1918, British industrialist and public official. He entered his father's coal business in S Wales and eventually developed one of the...

(Encyclopedia) essay, relatively short literary composition in prose, in which a writer discusses a topic, usually restricted in scope, or tries to persuade the reader to accept a particular point of view. Although ...