terpene See isoprenoid
terra-cotta Italian "baked earth" Fairly coarse, porous clay that, when fired, assumes a colour ranging from dull ochre to red. Terra-cotta objects are usually left unglazed and are often of a utilitarian kind, because of their cheapness, versatility, and durability. Small terra-cotta figures from 3000 bc have been found in Greece and others throughout the Roman Empire from the 4th century bc. The use of terra-cotta virtually died out when the Roman Empire collapsed, but it was revived in Italy and Germany in the 15th century.
Terranova Pausania See Olbia
terrapin Any omnivorous aquatic turtle of the family Emydidae, espe¬ cially the diamondback terrapin {Malaclemys terrapin). The dia¬ mondback inhabits salt marshes and coasts from New England to the Gulf of Mexico. It has raised diamond¬ shaped patterns on its brownish or black upper shell. The female attains a shell length of about 9 in. (23 cm); the male grows to about 6 in. (14 cm). The eight species of the turtle genus Pseudemys (or Chrysemys) are sometimes referred to as terrapins.
They inhabit freshwaters from the northeastern U.S. to Argentina. The female’s shell is 6-16 in. (15-40 cm) long. Infant red-eared turtles (P. scripta elegans) are sold in pet shops.
terrazzo Vto-'rat-so, to-'ra-zoX Type of flooring consisting of marble chips set in cement or epoxy resin that is poured and ground smooth when dry. Terrazzo was ubiquitous in the 20th century in commercial and insti¬ tutional buildings. Available in many colours, it forms a hard, smooth, durable surface that is easily cleaned.
'Virgin and Child," polychromed and gilded terra-cotta relief by Andrea del Verrocchio, c. 1470; in the Metropoli¬ tan Museum of Art, New York City.
COURTESY OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK CITY, ROGERS FUND, 1909
Red-eared turtle (Pseudemys scripta elegans).
LEONARD LEE RUE III FROM THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY COLLECTION/PHOTO RESEARCHERS
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
1890 I terrier ► Test Act
terrier Any of several dog breeds developed, mostly in England, to find and kill vermin and for use in the sports of foxhunting and dog fighting. Bred to fight and kill, they often were pugnacious but are now bred for a friendlier temperament. Because terriers had to fit in rodent burrows, most breeds are small and lean and have a rough, wiry coat that requires little maintenance. They have a long head, square jaw, and deep-set eyes. All terriers are vocal and inclined to chase and confront. Most breeds were named for the place where they were developed. See also Airedale terrier, Bedlington terrier, Boston terrier, bull terrier, Dandie Dinmont terrier, fox terrier, Irish terrier, pit bull terrier, Scottish terrier, Yorkshire terrier.
territorial behaviour In zoology, the actions by which an animal, or group of animals, protects its territory from incursions by others of its species. Territorial boundaries may be marked by sounds (e.g., birdsong), scents, or even piles of dung. If such advertisement does not discourage intruders, chases and fighting follow. Territories may be seasonal (usually for nesting and feeding the young) or maintained permanently (for hunt¬ ing and living). Territorial behaviour benefits the species by permitting mating and rearing young without interruption and by preventing over¬ crowding and minimizing competition for food.
territorial waters Waters under the sovereign jurisdiction of a nation or state, including both marginal sea and inland waters. The concept origi¬ nated in the 17th-century controversy over the status of the sea. Though the doctrine that the sea must be free to all was upheld, a nation’s juris¬ diction over its coastal waters was also recognized. Nations subscribing to the Law of the Sea observe a territorial limit of 12 nautical mi (22 km) from shore. Territorial rights include the airspace above those waters and the seabed below them. See also high seas.
Terror, Reign of See Reign of Terror
terrorism Systematic use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political objective. It has been used throughout history by political organizations of both the left and the right, by nationalist and ethnic groups, and by revolutionar¬ ies. Although usually thought of as a means of destabilizing or overthrow¬ ing existing political institutions, terror also has been employed by governments against their own people to suppress dissent; examples include the reigns of certain Roman emperors, the French Revolution (see Reign of Terror), Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union under Stalin, and Argen¬ tina during the “dirty war” of the 1970s. Terrorism’s impact has been magnified by the deadliness and technological sophistication of modern- day weapons and the capability of the media to disseminate news of such attacks instantaneously throughout the world. The deadliest terrorist attack ever occurred in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001 (see September 11 attacks), when members of al-Qaeda terrorist network hijacked four commercial airplanes and crashed two of them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York City and one into the Pentagon building near Washington, D.C.; the fourth plane crashed near Pittsburgh, Pa. The crashes resulted in the collapse of much of the World Trade Cen¬ ter complex, the destruction of part of the southwest side of the Penta¬ gon, and the deaths of some 3,000 people.
Terry, Eli (b. April 13, 1772, East Windsor, Conn.—d. Feb. 26, 1852, Plymouth, Conn., U.S.) U.S. clockmaker. He made a specialty of one-day wooden shelf clocks, especially his “perfected wood clock” known as the Terry clock (1814). Using interchangeable parts made by mechanized techniques, production at his Plymouth factory rose to as high as 10,GOO- 12,000 Terry clocks per year.
Terry, (Alice) Ellen (b. Feb. 27, 1847, Coventry, Warwickshire, Eng.—d. July 21, 1928, Small Hythe, Kent) English actress. Born into a family of actors, she made her stage debut at age nine. She acted with several companies before joining Henry Irving as his leading lady (1878— 1902), playing a variety of Shakespearean roles in a notable partnership. Her warmth, gentleness, and beauty made her one of the most popular actresses in Britain and the U.S., and she continued to act until 1925. She conducted a famous correspondence with the playwright George Bernard Shaw. The actor, stage designer, and drama theorist Gordon Craig was her son.
Tertiary Vt3r-she-,er-e\ Period Interval of geologic time, 65-1.8 mil¬ lion years ago. It constitutes the first of the two periods of the Cenozoic Era, the second being the Quaternary. The Tertiary has five subdivisions: (from oldest to youngest) the Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene epochs. During most of the Tertiary, the spatial distribution of the
major continents was largely similar to that of today. Emergence and sub¬ mergence of land bridges between continents critically affected the dis¬ tribution of both terrestrial and marine animals and plants. Virtually all the existing major mountain ranges were formed either partly or wholly during the Tertiary.
Tertullian Uor-'tol-yonV (b. c. 155/160, Carthage—d. after 220, Carthage) Early Christian theologian and moralist. Educated in Carthage, he became impressed by the courage, morality, and uncompromising monotheism of Christian martyrs, and he converted to Christianity. He became a leading member of the African church and one of the early Apologists. He devoted himself to writing for 20 years, producing works on such topics as defense of the faith, prayer and devotion, and morality, as well as the first Christian book on baptism, De baptismo. Later, dis¬ mayed by the laxity he witnessed among even his orthodox contempo¬ raries, he joined the prophetic movement known as Montanism, then left it to form his own sect, which survived in Africa until the 5th century.