any of several weasel-like carnivores of the genus Martes (family Mustelidae), found in Canada and parts of the United States and in the Old World from Europe to the Malay region. Differing in size and coloration according to species, they ...
Hanoverian diplomat, professor of jurisprudence at the University of Gottingen from 1783, the original editor of what remains the largest collection of treaties in the world. He singlehandedly edited Recueil des traites, covering treaties from 1761, through the first seven ...
American soul-pop vocal group that challenged the Supremes as Motown Records's premier female group in the 1960s. The original members were Martha Reeves (b. July 18, 1941, Eufaula, Ala., U.S., ), Annette Beard Sterling-Helton (b. July 4, 1943, Detroit, Mich., ...
island of glacial origin off the southeastern coast of Massachusetts, U.S., 4 miles (6 km) across Vineyard Sound from the mainland (Cape Cod). It accounts for most of the territory and population of Dukes county, Massachusetts.
poet and essayist, patriot and martyr, who became the symbol of Cuba's struggle for independence from Spain. His dedication to the goal of Cuban freedom made his name a synonym for liberty throughout Latin America. As a patriot, Marti organized ...
Roman poet who brought the Latin epigram to perfection and provided in it a picture of Roman society during the early empire that is remarkable both for its completeness and for its accurate portrayal of human foibles.
temporary rule by military authorities of a designated area in time of emergency when the civil authorities are deemed unable to function. The legal effects of a declaration of martial law differ in various jurisdictions, but they generally involve a ...
town, Bouches-du-Rhone departement, Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur region, southeastern France, northwest of Marseille. The town is at the eastern end of the Canal de Caronte, which connects the Etang de Berre, a salt lagoon, to the Mediterranean Sea. Probably the site of the ...
nonexistent pope. In the 13th century the papal chancery misread the names of the two popes Marinus as Martin, and as a result of this error Simon de Brie in 1281 assumed the name of Pope Martin IV instead of ...
any of several swallows belonging to the family Hirundinidae (order Passeriformes). In America the name refers to the purple martin (Progne subis) and its four tropical relatives-at 20 cm (8 inches) long, the largest American swallows. The sand martin, or ...
French author and winner of the 1937 Nobel Prize for Literature. Trained as a paleographer and archivist, Martin du Gard brought to his works a spirit of objectivity and a scrupulous regard for details. For his concern with documentation and ...
French lacquerware artists of the period of Louis XV. The four brothers-Guillaume (d. 1749), Julien (d. 1752), Robert (b. 1706-d. 1765), and Etienne-Simon (d. 1770)-are remembered for perfecting the composition and application of vernis Martin, a lacquer substitute named after ...
island, historically a strategic control point in the estuary of Rio de la Plata, near the mouth of the Uruguay and Parana rivers, between Argentina and Uruguay. The island (0.7 square mile [2 square km]) is a part of Buenos ...
in the United States, holiday (third Monday in January) honouring the achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr. A Baptist minister who advocated the use of nonviolent means to end racial segregation, he first came to national prominence during a bus ...
diversified American corporation (incorporated 1961) that was primarily involved in the production of aerospace equipment and defense systems for the U.S. government. In 1995 it merged with another major aerospace firm, the Lockheed Corporation, to form the Lockheed Martin Corporation ...
British biochemist who was awarded (with R.L.M. Synge) the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1952 for development of paper partition chromatography, a quick and economical analytical technique permitting extensive advances in chemical, medical, and biological research.
American professional baseball player and manager whose leadership transformed teams on the field, but whose outspokenness and pugnacity made him the centre of controversy.
Roman Catholic biblical scholar, principal translator of the Latin Vulgate into English (Douai-Reims Bible). His version, in Bishop Richard Challoner's third revised edition (1752), was the standard Bible for English Roman Catholics until the 20th century, and his phraseology influenced ...
author of a famous history of France that included excerpts from the chief chroniclers and historians, with original expository passages filling the gaps.
American lawyer best known for defending Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase at his impeachment trial and Aaron Burr at his treason trial and for arguing the losing side in McCulloch v. Maryland.
American artist known for her highly detailed watercolours of flora and fauna, especially those done in collaboration with the naturalist and artist John James Audubon.
Canadian politician and diplomat who served with distinction in the cabinets of four Liberal Party prime ministers: W.L. Mackenzie King, Louis Saint Laurent, Lester B. Pearson, and Pierre Elliott Trudeau. As minister of national health and welfare (1946-57), Martin was ...
French engineer who invented the Siemens-Martin (open-hearth) process, which produced most of the world's steel until the development of the basic oxygen process.
American comedian, writer, and producer who began his career as a standup comic and eventually achieved success in motion pictures, television, Broadway, and literature.
town, Taranto provincia, Puglia (Apulia) regione, southeastern Italy. It has numerous Baroque buildings, such as the Church of San Martino, the Corte palace, and particularly the civic centre, a former ducal palace (1669). In 1529, during the war against the ...
essayist, novelist, and economic and historical writer who, despite deafness, heart disease, and other disabilities, was prominent among English intellectuals of her time. Perhaps her most scholarly work is The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte, Freely Translated ...
English Unitarian theologian and philosopher whose writings emphasized the individual human conscience as the primary guide for determining correct behaviour. He was a brother of Harriet Martineau.
city, seat (1850) of Contra Costa county, western California, U.S. It lies on the south shore of Carquinez Strait (between Suisun and San Pablo bays) north of Oakland. It was named for Ignacio Martinez, commandant of the San Francisco presidio ...
