Acte
A freed woman of Asiatic origin. She was introduced into the household of Nero by Seneca, according to Tacitus (Ann. 14, 2), in order to counteract the influence of Agrippina .
Only in 1000 Classical Characters
Single-source entries: A (11)
Each of these 17 subjects appears in only one of the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. None is long enough to carry a page by itself, so they are gathered here by letter. Anything that grows moves out to a page of its own.
Actea
a genus of plants belonging to the order ranunculaceæ, or crowfoots. One species, the A. spicata = the bane-berry, or herb-christopher, is in digenous to many lands. It bears black berries, which are poisonous. With alum, they yield a black dye. The roots are antispasmodic, expectorant, and astringent. A. racemosa, the snakeroot. receives its English name from being used in the United States as an antidote against the bite of the rattlesnake.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Actinia
in zoölogy, a genus of polyps with many arms radiating from around their mouth, in a manner somewhat resembling the rays of the sun surrounding his disc, or a double flower. From this arrangement of the tentacles, coupled with the bright colors of these flowers. Though simple and not aggregated, they still have a somewhat close affinity to the coral-building polyps.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Actinograph
an instrument for recording the variations of chemical influence of the solar rays and of other radiations. ACTINOLITE (Greek aktis, genit. aktinos a ray, and lithos a stone. The translation of the German strahlstein= radiated stone), a variety of amphibole. It is the actinote of Haüy. Its affinity and composition are indicated by Dara's compound name for it-magnesia-limeiron amphibole. It is bright green, or grayish-green, the green color being imparted by the iron it contains.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Actinometer
an instrument for measuring the chemical effects of radiation from any source, especially the sun.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Actinomycosis
the name now given to a disease long known to occur in cattle, but confounded with tubercle or sarcoma. In 1877, Bollinger, of Munich, showed that little yellow grains are always present, consisting of a minute fungus, with its mycelium arranged in a radiate manner. To this fungus he gave the name actinomyces; and further observation has confirmed his view that it is the cause of the disease. Actinomycosis is most common in cattle; occurs also in pigs, and (rarely) in man.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Actinotherapy
the method of treating diseases by chemical or actinic rays. See PHOTOTHERAPY.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Actinozoa
a class of animals included in the radiata of the system of Cuvier, but combined with hydrozoa to form the class coelenterata in the systems of Frey, Leuckart, and Huxley. It contains the sea-anemones and coral polyps.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Action
in law, a judicial proceeding before a court of justice to secure redress for the infringement of a right. In courts of equity a corresponding proceeding is termed a suit. Actions are classified as civil and criminal. Civil actions are instituted to enforce a private right or to obtain redress for a private wrong. Civil actions are personal, when claiming recovery of personal property or damages in lieu thereof; real, when concerning the recovery of land, rents, etc.; or mixed, when partaking of the character of both. Criminal actions are brought by the state against some person accused of having committed a crime. Statutory actions are based on statutes, while common-law actions are enforced without the aid of a statute.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Actium
a town and promontory of Epirus, famous for the naval victory which Augustus obtained over Antony and Cleopatra, the 2d of September, B. C. 31, in honor of which the conqueror built there the town of Nicopolis, and restored the Actian games instituted in honor of Apollo.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Acts of the Apostles
the fifth book of the New Testament. It contains narrative of the achievements of the leading apostles and especially of St. Paul. Its author was St. Luke, who was Paul's companion from the time of his visit to Troas to the advanced period of his life when he penned the second epistle, to Timothy. Internal evidence would seem to show that it was written in all probability about A. D. 61. The undesigned ADAM and EVE coincidences between the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of Paul are numerous and important.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Actuary
in civil law, a registrar or clerk of a court; also an officer of a mercantile or insurance company, skilled in financial calculations, specially on such subjects as the expectancy of life. He is generally manager of the company, under the nominal or real superintendence of a board of directors.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Ada
a city of Oklahoma, the countyseat of Pontotoc co. It is on the St. Louis and San Francisco the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas, and the Oklahoma Central railroads. Its most important industries are the manufacture of cement and asphalt and the growing of cotton. It is the center of an important agricultural and mineral-producing region and is the seat of the State normal school. Pop. (1910) 4,349; (1920) 8,012.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Adagio
a slow very slow movement or measure of time in music. The distinctive feature of the adagio being its power of expression, it affords the most direct means to the composer of manifesting his individuality of feeling. The finest specimens of the adagio are found in the works of the old masters, above all in Beethoven.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Adam's Apple
a name applied in sport to the enlarged gristly framework in the throat of a man. It is known to physiologists as the larynx. It is said that when Eve gave Adam the forbidden apple to eat, the core lodged in his throat. See Larynx
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Adam's Peak
a mountain in the of Ceylon. It is a resort and Buddhist pilgrims. Height, 7,420 feet. The native name is Samanella. The cone forming the summit is a naked mass of granite, terminating in a narrow platform, in the middle of which is a hollow, 5 feet long, having a resemblance to a human footstep. Mohammedan tradition makes this the scene of Adam's penitence, after his expulsion from Paradise; he stood 1,000 years on one foot weeping for his sin; hence the mark. To the Buddhists, the Impression is the Sri-pada, or sacred footmark, left by Buddha on his departure from Ceylon; and the Hindus have the same tradition in respect to Siva.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Adamantius
A Jewish doctor, who became a Catholic at Constantinople in the time of Constantine, to whom he dedicated his two books on Physiognomy, or, the art of judging people by their faces. This book, full of contradictions and fantasies, was printed in the Scriptores Physiognomoniae veteres, of Franzius, at Attembourg, in 1780.
Only in An Encyclopaedia of Occultism