lacquerwork: Europe: …du peintre, doreur, vernisseur of Jean-Félix Watin (1772), the most precise account of lacquerwork that appeared in the 18th century. In this book Watin examined the recipes of his predecessors and recommended the best formulas for lacquering objects to be used indoors, such as furniture, and outdoors, such as carriages.…

Dame Wendy Hiller was an English stage and film actress known for her direct and unsentimental portrayals of intelligent and spirited women. Hiller was educated at Winceby House School and at age 18 joined the Manchester Repertory Company, for which she acted and stage-managed for several years.

Watkins Glen, village, seat (1854) of Schuyler county, central New York, U.S. It lies at the south end of Seneca Lake, in the heart of the Finger Lakes region, 20 miles (32 km) north of Elmira. Settled in 1791, it was incorporated (1842) as Jefferson and was renamed Watkins (1852) to honour Dr.

ley lines: …English amateur archaeologist and photographer Alfred Watkins in the early 20th century. Stonehenge, the Pyramids of Giza, Machu Picchu, and Ayers Rock (Uluru) are some of the landmarks posited as connected by ley lines. While the validity of ley lines is not accepted by academic archaeologists, followers of the New…

Carleton E. Watkins was an American photographer best known for his artistic documentation of the landscape of the American West. He also produced images of industrial sites in that region. (For further information regarding his name, see the Researcher’s Note.) In 1851, at age 22, Watkins left his

the Wiggles: …replaced by fellow Australian entertainers Emma Watkins—the first female member of the group—as the yellow Wiggle, Simon Pryce as the red, and Lachlan (“Lachy”) Gillespie -in purple, while Anthony Field in blue remained with the group.

Frances E.W. Harper was an American author, orator, and social reformer who was notable for her poetry, speeches, and essays on abolitionism, temperance, and woman suffrage. Frances Watkins was the daughter of free black parents. She grew up in the home of an uncle whose school for black children

bell hooks was an American scholar and activist whose work examined the connections between race, gender, and class. She often explored the varied perceptions of Black women and Black women writers and the development of feminist identities. Watkins grew up in a segregated community of the American

Jessica Watkins is an American astronaut who spent six months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2022 and has been chosen for the Artemis program, which will return Americans to the Moon in the mid-2020s. She was the first Black woman to spend a long-duration stay on the ISS. As a

Jessica Watkins is an American astronaut who spent six months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2022 and has been chosen for the Artemis program, which will return Americans to the Moon in the mid-2020s. She was the first Black woman to spend a long-duration stay on the ISS. As a

QAnon: Who was Q?: …Paul Furber and 8chan/8kun administrator Ron Watkins. Neither had any kind of special access to intelligence or classified information, but both were extremely well versed in the language and culture of conspiracy-themed message boards.

Vernon Phillips Watkins was an English-language Welsh poet who drew from Welsh material and legend. Watkins steeped himself in the study of French and German and developed a deep understanding of the poetry of both those countries while he was a student at Cambridge University. After graduation he

Jacksonville, city, seat (1755) of Onslow county, southeastern North Carolina, U.S. It lies along the New River at the head of its estuary, about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Wilmington. Originally settled as Wantland’s Ferry (c. 1757), its name was changed to Onslow Courthouse and then

Watling Street, Roman road in England that ran from Dover west-northwest to London and thence northwest via St. Albans (Verulamium) to Wroxeter (Ouirokónion, or Viroconium). It was one of Britain’s greatest arterial roads of the Roman and post-Roman periods. The name came from a group of

Battle of Watling Street, battle fought between Britons and Romans in 61 CE about 25 miles west of modern metropolitan Birmingham. In this final decisive battle of Boudicca’s revolt against Roman rule in Britain, a large British force was routed by the heavily outnumbered Romans under the command

San Salvador Island, one of the islands of The Bahamas, in the West Indies. San Salvador is believed by many scholars to be the island of Guanahani, where Christopher Columbus made his first landing in the New World on October 12, 1492. Some scholars assert, however, that the island of Guanahani is

Paul Watson: The documentary Watson (2019) chronicles his life.

Watson and the Shark, oil painting first created in 1778 by American artist John Singleton Copley. It was exhibited in 1778 at London’s Royal Academy of Arts and was instrumental in Copley’s being appointed to the academy. Copley painted a second version of the work later in 1778, and he created

Watson Lake, community, southern Yukon, Canada. It lies along a small lake on the border with British Columbia. It originated as a 19th-century trading post and was named after Frank Watson, a pioneer trapper-miner. It is now a key communications and distribution point for the southern part of the

David Carson: Photographer Albert Watson, for example, declared, “He uses type the way a painter uses paint, to create emotion, to express ideas.” Others felt that the fractured presentation obscured the message it carried.

Alberta Watson was a Canadian film and television actress whose career spanned four decades. Renowned for her consistency and reliability, Watson was perhaps best known for the TV series La Femme Nikita (1997–2001) and 24 (2004–05), but she also gave memorable performances in David O. Russell’s

Doc Watson was an American musician and singer who introduced a flat-picking style that elevated the acoustic guitar from a rhythmically strummed background instrument to a leading role in bluegrass, country, folk, and rock music, notably during the folk music revival of the 1960s. Watson was blind

Bubba Watson is an American professional golfer noted for his two Major championships and powerful drives. He won the Masters Tournament in 2012 and 2014 and reached 2nd place in the world rankings of golf in 2015. He is one of the few left-handed golfers on the PGA Tour and one of a relative

Tate murders: The Tate and LaBianca murders: …8, Manson ordered his follower Charles “Tex” Watson to go to 10050 Cielo Drive with several other cult members and kill everyone there “as gruesome[ly] as you can.” Manson was familiar with the house because its previous tenant, music producer Terry Melcher, had earlier considered and then decided against giving…

Kolkata: Growth of the city: …and by the British admiral Charles Watson. The nawab was defeated shortly afterward at Plassey (June 1757), after which British rule in Bengal was assured. Gobindapore was cleared of its forests, and the new Fort William was built on its present site, overlooking the Hugli at Calcutta, where it became…

Brittney Griner: Personal life: Three years later Griner wed Cherelle Watson, a teacher. Following Brittney Griner’s detainment in Russia, Cherelle Griner publicly fought for her release.

Houston Texans: …play of standout rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson, but his mid-season knee injury derailed the team’s momentum, and Houston finished the year with a 4–12 record. Watson and Watt remained healthy during the 2018 season, and the Texans rallied from an 0–3 start to win 11 games and a division title.…

Doc Watson was an American musician and singer who introduced a flat-picking style that elevated the acoustic guitar from a rhythmically strummed background instrument to a leading role in bluegrass, country, folk, and rock music, notably during the folk music revival of the 1960s. Watson was blind

Dr. Watson, fictional English physician who is Sherlock Holmes’s devoted friend, associate, and chronicler in a series of detective stories and novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The first collection of their escapades was published as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in 1892. Watson, born in 1852,

Dr. Watson, fictional English physician who is Sherlock Holmes’s devoted friend, associate, and chronicler in a series of detective stories and novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The first collection of their escapades was published as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in 1892. Watson, born in 1852,

Emma Watson is a British actress and activist who was perhaps best known for playing the young wizard Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films. She also garnered attention as a spokesperson for women’s equality. Watson was born in Paris to British parents who divorced when she was young. She and

Emma Watson is a British actress and activist who was perhaps best known for playing the young wizard Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films. She also garnered attention as a spokesperson for women’s equality. Watson was born in Paris to British parents who divorced when she was young. She and

Alberta Watson was a Canadian film and television actress whose career spanned four decades. Renowned for her consistency and reliability, Watson was perhaps best known for the TV series La Femme Nikita (1997–2001) and 24 (2004–05), but she also gave memorable performances in David O. Russell’s

Bubba Watson is an American professional golfer noted for his two Major championships and powerful drives. He won the Masters Tournament in 2012 and 2014 and reached 2nd place in the world rankings of golf in 2015. He is one of the few left-handed golfers on the PGA Tour and one of a relative

Canada: Visual arts: Homer Watson continued the exploration of landscapes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reflecting the influence of the American Hudson River school in his work.

James Watson was an American geneticist and biophysicist who played a crucial role in the discovery of the molecular structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the substance that is the basis of heredity. For this accomplishment he was awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with

James Watson was an American geneticist and biophysicist who played a crucial role in the discovery of the molecular structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the substance that is the basis of heredity. For this accomplishment he was awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with

Kailyard school: …A Window in Thrums (1889), Ian Maclaren (pseudonym of John Watson), and S.R. Crockett were widely read throughout Scotland, England, and the United States and inspired many imitators. The natural and unsophisticated style and parochial viewpoint quickly degenerated into mawkish sentimentality, which provoked a hostile reaction among contemporary Scottish realists…

John B. Watson was an American psychologist who codified and publicized behaviourism, an approach to psychology that, in his view, was restricted to the objective, experimental study of the relations between environmental events and human behaviour. Watsonian behaviourism became the dominant

John B. Watson was an American psychologist who codified and publicized behaviourism, an approach to psychology that, in his view, was restricted to the objective, experimental study of the relations between environmental events and human behaviour. Watsonian behaviourism became the dominant

John Christian Watson was a politician and the first Labour prime minister of Australia (1904). Educated in New Zealand, Watson moved to Sydney to work as a typographer. He became involved in the labour movement and was elected president of the Sydney Trades and Labour Council and president of the

Australian literature: Aboriginal narrative: the oral tradition: …century, the poet and storyteller Maureen Watson helped to maintain the oral tradition by reading on radio and television and by performing at schools.

Doc Watson: …many years with his son, Merle, on rhythm guitar. After his son’s death in a tractor accident in 1985, Watson continued to tour and record, sometimes with Merle’s son, Richard; in 1988 he founded the annual acoustic Merle Watson Memorial Festival (MerleFest) in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Paul Watson is a Canadian American environmental activist who founded (1977) the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an organization that sought to protect marine wildlife. Watson exhibited an early affinity for protecting wildlife. At age nine he would seek out and destroy leghold traps that were

art criticism: The irony of the avant-garde: …Modern Art Market (1992), journalist Peter Watson points out that art criticism, however high-minded, serves the art market, which is part of the prevailing consumer society (a reality especially prevalent after the art boom of the 1980s). Watson suggests that, in a capitalist society, art is above all a luxury…

Renée Watson is an American author and actress who has written picture books for young children and novels for young adults. Her young adult novel Piecing Me Together (2017) won the 2018 Coretta Scott King Book Award. That same year, it was also named a Newbery Honor Book and was recognized with

Sir William Watson was an English author of lyrical and political verse, best-known for his occasional poems. His first volume, The Prince’s Quest (1880), was in the Pre-Raphaelite manner. Thereafter he became a poet of statement, concerned with current affairs. Watson’s Wordsworth’s Grave (1890),

Sir William Watson was an English author of lyrical and political verse, best-known for his occasional poems. His first volume, The Prince’s Quest (1880), was in the Pre-Raphaelite manner. Thereafter he became a poet of statement, concerned with current affairs. Watson’s Wordsworth’s Grave (1890),

Tate murders: The Tate and LaBianca murders: …8, Manson ordered his follower Charles “Tex” Watson to go to 10050 Cielo Drive with several other cult members and kill everyone there “as gruesome[ly] as you can.” Manson was familiar with the house because its previous tenant, music producer Terry Melcher, had earlier considered and then decided against giving…

Thomas Augustus Watson was an American telephone pioneer and shipbuilder and one of the original organizers of the Bell Telephone Company. Watson later turned to shipbuilding and constructed a number of vessels for the United States government. After leaving school at the age of 14, Watson began

Rebecca Ann Felton: …by the death of Senator Thomas E. Watson, whose antagonism to former President Woodrow Wilson and all of his policies she heartily shared. She served only 24 hours, November 21–22, 1922, before being succeeded by Walter F. George, the duly elected senator. Her writings include My Memoirs of Georgia Politics…

Thomas J. Watson, Jr. was an American business executive who inherited the leadership of International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) from his father, Thomas J. Watson, Sr., and propelled the company into the computer age. After graduating in 1937 from Brown University, Providence, Rhode

Thomas J. Watson, Sr. was an American industrialist who built the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) into the largest manufacturer of electric typewriters and data-processing equipment in the world. The son of a lumber dealer, Watson studied at the Elmira (New York) School of

Thomas J. Watson, Jr. was an American business executive who inherited the leadership of International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) from his father, Thomas J. Watson, Sr., and propelled the company into the computer age. After graduating in 1937 from Brown University, Providence, Rhode

Thomas J. Watson, Sr. was an American industrialist who built the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) into the largest manufacturer of electric typewriters and data-processing equipment in the world. The son of a lumber dealer, Watson studied at the Elmira (New York) School of

Tom Watson is an American golfer who was one of the sport’s dominant figures in the 1970s and early ’80s. Watson studied psychology at Stanford University, where he competed on the school’s golf team. After graduating in 1971, he joined the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA).

Tom Watson is an American golfer who was one of the sport’s dominant figures in the 1970s and early ’80s. Watson studied psychology at Stanford University, where he competed on the school’s golf team. After graduating in 1971, he joined the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA).

United Kingdom: Parliamentary rejection of May’s plan, May’s survival of a confidence vote, and the Independent Group of breakaway MPs: Meanwhile, in early March, Tom Watson, the deputy leader of the Labour Party, convened a meeting of Labour MPs and members of the House of Lords—many of whom felt that Corbyn had taken the party too far leftward—to consider an alternative vision for the party.

William Watson was an English Roman Catholic priest who was executed for his part in the “Bye Plot” against King James I. At the age of 16 Watson left England for France, where he was ordained priest in April 1586. Returning to England in June of that year, he spent the next 16 years in and out of

electromagnetism: Invention of the Leyden jar: …the appearance of Musschenbroek’s device, William Watson, an English physician and scientist, constructed a more-sophisticated version of the Leyden jar; he coated the inside and outside of the container with metal foil to improve its capacity to store charge. Watson transmitted an electric spark from his device through a wire…

Sir Robert Alexander Watson-Watt was a Scottish physicist credited with the development of radar in England. Watson-Watt attended the University of St. Andrews and later taught at University College, Dundee. From 1915 to 1952 he held a number of government positions, beginning as a meteorologist

Christopher Paul Curtis: …Curtis wrote his first book, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 (1995; TV movie 2013). An early draft of the book won a Jules Hopwood Prize from the University of Michigan, and the published version merited a Newbery Honor Award in 1996.

Jane Austen: Publishing disappointments and life upheavals: …this upheaval, Austen began writing The Watsons in 1804 but soon abandoned it.

Watsuji Tetsurō was a Japanese moral philosopher and historian of ideas, outstanding among modern Japanese thinkers who have tried to combine the Eastern moral spirit with Western ethical ideas. (Read Peter Singer’s Britannica entry on ethics.) Watsuji studied philosophy at Tokyo University and

watt, unit of power in the International System of Units (SI) equal to one joule of work performed per second, or to 1746 horsepower. An equivalent is the power dissipated in an electrical conductor carrying one ampere current between points at one volt potential difference. It is named in honour

Watt, Absurdist novel by Samuel Beckett, published in 1953. It was written in 1942–44 while Beckett, an early member of the French Resistance, was hiding in southern France from German occupying forces. There is no conventional plot to Watt, nor are there always readily assignable meanings to the

Watt steam engine, steam engine invented by Scottish engineer James Watt in 1769. The Watt steam engine is considered the first truly efficient steam engine, as it solved the problem of energy wastage through the use of a separate condenser. Watt’s essay about the steam engine for Encyclopædia

Hugh Burgess: …British-born American inventor who, with Charles Watt, developed the soda process used to turn wood pulp into paper.

Houston Texans: Led by sensational defensive end J.J. Watt, the Texans set a franchise record with 12 wins in 2012 but again lost in the divisional round of the following postseason. In 2013 an injury-plagued Texans team swiftly fell from the upper echelons of the AFC and posted a league-worst 2–14 record.…

James Watt was a Scottish instrument maker and inventor whose steam engine contributed substantially to the Industrial Revolution. Watt was also known for patenting the double-acting engine and an early steam locomotive. He was elected fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1785. (Read James

Joachim Vadianus was a Swiss religious reformer and one of the most important native Swiss Humanists. Crowned poet laureate by the Habsburg emperor Maximilian (1514), Vadianus served as rector at the University of Vienna (1516–17) and supervised the publication of the works of various ancient

Dave Grohl: Nirvana: …drummer for bassist and singer-songwriter Mike Watt, backed musician Tom Petty on a Saturday Night Live appearance, and released a CD version of Pocketwatch (1995).

Pittsburgh Steelers: …the team, led by linebacker T.J. Watt, a perennial Defensive Player of the Year finalist (he won the award in 2021). Pittsburgh made the playoffs after the 2020, 2021, and 2023 seasons, each time losing in the wild card round.

watt-hour meter, device that measures and records over time the electric power flowing through a circuit. Although there are several different types of watt-hour meters, each consists essentially of a small electric motor and a counter. A precise fraction of the current flowing in the circuit is

Marīnid dynasty: …branch of the Marīnids, the Waṭṭāsids (Banū Waṭṭās), assumed rule over Morocco in 1465, but it collapsed when the Saʿdī sharifs took Fès in 1548.

Antoine Watteau was a French painter who typified the lyrically charming and graceful style of the Rococo. Much of his work reflects the influence of the commedia dell’arte and the opéra ballet (e.g., “The French Comedy,” 1716). Antoine Watteau was the son of a roof tiler. According to early

Antoine Watteau was a French painter who typified the lyrically charming and graceful style of the Rococo. Much of his work reflects the influence of the commedia dell’arte and the opéra ballet (e.g., “The French Comedy,” 1716). Antoine Watteau was the son of a roof tiler. According to early

Frisian Islands: …tidal mud flats generally called wadden in Dutch (German: Watten).

Wadden Sea, shallow inlet of the North Sea between the West Frisian Islands and the northern Netherlands mainland. The inlet extends from Noord-Holland to the northeast, where the islands gradually curve toward the mainland and the channel narrows to a few miles. Until the completion of the

Bochum: In 1975 Wattenscheid, a neighbouring city, was united with Bochum, and it serves to some extent as a dormitory suburb for the adjacent industrial complexes of Gelsenkirchen and Essen. Pop. (2003 est.) 387,283.

Bill Watterson is an American cartoonist best known for creating the popular and award-winning comic strip Calvin and Hobbes (1985–95). Watterson notably refused to license the strip’s characters for merchandising or allow any film version of the strip to be made. He retired Calvin and Hobbes in

The Courier-Journal: …Louisville Journal brought about by Henry Watterson, The Courier-Journal’s first editor, who also became a part owner. Watterson was an eloquent writer and a veteran of the Confederate army in the Civil War who greatly admired Abraham Lincoln and who believed in political participation by blacks. His half-century tenure as…

Bill Watterson is an American cartoonist best known for creating the popular and award-winning comic strip Calvin and Hobbes (1985–95). Watterson notably refused to license the strip’s characters for merchandising or allow any film version of the strip to be made. He retired Calvin and Hobbes in

Eospermatopteris, genus of extinct plants known from fossil stumps discovered in the 1870s near Gilboa, New York, U.S. Eospermatopteris trunks were discovered upright, as they would have grown in life, and occurred in dense stands in the marshy lowlands near an ancient inland sea. However, only the

wattle and daub: …which vertical wooden stakes (wattles) are woven with horizontal twigs and branches, and then covered with clay, mud, or other substances (the daub). This method is one of the oldest known for making a weatherproof structure. In England, Iron Age sites have been discovered with remains of circular dwellings…

acacia, (genus Acacia), genus of about 160 species of trees and shrubs in the pea family (Fabaceae). Acacias are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the world, particularly Australia (where they are called wattles) and Africa, where they are well-known landmarks on the veld and savanna.

wattle and daub, in building construction, method of constructing walls in which vertical wooden stakes (wattles) are woven with horizontal twigs and branches, and then covered with clay, mud, or other substances (the daub). This method is one of the oldest known for making a weatherproof

basketry: Wattle construction: A single layer of rigid, passive, parallel standards is held together by flexible threads in one of three ways, each representing a different subtype. (1) The bound, or wrapped, type, which is not very elaborate, has a widespread distribution, being used for burden…

bird-of-paradise: …mocha-breasted, bird-of-paradise (Cnemophilus macgregorii); the wattle-billed, or golden-silky, bird-of-paradise (Loboparadisea sericea); and Loria’s, or Lady Macgregor’s, bird-of-paradise (Loria loriae)—three species formerly classified as bowerbirds.

wattle-eye, any of a number of small, stubby African songbirds of the family Platysteiridae; some authorities retain them in the flycatcher subfamily, Muscicapinae. Most species have bright, fleshy eye ornaments, or wattles: in the genus Platysteira they are found above the eyes in both sexes,

wattlebird, any of several New Zealand birds of the family Callaeidae (q.v.); also, a particular name for any honeyeater (q.v.) of the genus

kokako, (species Callaeas cinerea), New Zealand songbird of the family Callaeidae (order Passeriformes). The kokako is 45 cm (17.5 inches) long and has a gray body, black mask, and blue or orange wattles at the corners of the mouth. Surviving in a few mountain forests, the kokako lives mainly on

false sunbird: In the wattled false sunbird (Neodrepanis coruscans), the male is glossy blue above and yellow below, with a large eye wattle; this is lacking in the female, which has dark green upperparts. This species moves slowly and quietly along branches, searching for insects; sometimes (like a true…

Wattrelos, town, Nord département, Hauts-de-France région, northern France, on the Belgian-French border. A northeastern suburb of Roubaix, it has textile, chemical, and metallurgical industries. The community was known as Waterloz in 1030, and the discovery of a golden effigy of Nero in 1864

Watts, southwestern district of Los Angeles, California, U.S. The district, originally called Mud Town, was renamed in 1900 for C.H. Watts, a Pasadena realtor who owned a ranch there. It was annexed to Los Angeles in 1926. The Watts district gained widespread notoriety on August 11–16, 1965, as the

Watts Riots of 1965, series of violent confrontations between Los Angeles police and residents of Watts and other predominantly African American neighborhoods of South-Central Los Angeles that began August 11, 1965, and lasted for six days. The immediate cause of the disturbances was the arrest of

Watts: A notable local attraction is Watts Towers (now a state historic park and a national historic landmark), a group of 17 bricolage spires constructed from 1921 to 1954 by Italian immigrant Simon Rodia from broken tiles, dishes, rocks, bottles, and seashells; the tallest of the towers rises to nearly 100…

Alan Watts was a British-born American writer, philosopher, and lecturer who is credited with introducing and popularizing Eastern philosophy and religion among Western audiences in the mid-20th century. Watts was widely recognized for his ability to convey ideas and perspectives associated with

Alan Watts was a British-born American writer, philosopher, and lecturer who is credited with introducing and popularizing Eastern philosophy and religion among Western audiences in the mid-20th century. Watts was widely recognized for his ability to convey ideas and perspectives associated with

André Watts was a German-born American pianist who was known for a surpassing technique and understated manner that made him a favored concert performer. Watts was born in Germany, where his father, an African American soldier, was stationed; his mother was a Hungarian refugee and accomplished