Cerf VsorfV, Bennett (Alfred) (b. May 25, 1898, New York, N.Y., U.S.—d. Aug. 27, 1971, Mount Kisco, N.Y.) U.S. publisher and editor. With Donald S. Klopfer, in 1925 Cerf acquired the Modem Library imprint, which subsequently became a highly profitable series of reprints of classic books. In 1927 they began publishing books other than Mod¬ ern Library titles as Random House, of which Cerf served as president (1927-65) and chairman (1965-70). He became known as an opponent of censorship and as the publisher of many eminent authors. An inveter¬ ate punster and raconteur, he edited anthologies of humour, short stories, and plays, wrote syndicated newspaper columns, and appeared on the popular television show “What’s My Line?” (1952-68).
cerium \'sir-e-am\ Chemical element, a rare earth metal of the lanthanide series (hence having many properties of the transition elements), chemical symbol Ce, atomic number 58. It is iron-gray and fairly soft and ductile.
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CERN ► cetacean i 365
Found in many ores, it is about as abundant as copper and three times as abundant as lead. The metal is used in alloys and other metallurgical applications and (because it oxidizes strongly and rapidly) in illumina¬ tion, ignition, and signaling devices and in propellants. Misch metal, used in lighter flints, is 50% cerium. Cerium compounds (in which it has valence 3 or 4) are used in the mantles of lanterns, in the ceramic, pho¬ tographic, and textile industries, and in analytical chemistry.
CERN in full Organisation Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire formerly Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire. International scientific organization established for collabo¬ rative research into subnuclear physics. Headquartered in Geneva, CERN includes extensive facilities at sites on both sides of the Swiss-French border. The results of its experimental and theoretical work are made gen¬ erally available. It was established in part in order to reclaim European physicists who had emigrated to the U.S. as a result of World War II. In 2000 it had 20 European member nations and several nations with observer status.
Cernunnos \ker-'nii-nos\ In Celtic religion, a deity worshiped as “lord of wild things.” He wore stag antlers and sometimes carried a torque (sacred neck ornament). He was worshiped primarily in Britain, but there are also traces of his cult in Ireland. He is probably the source for the horned god that appears in Christian medieval manuscripts as a symbol of the Antichrist.
Cerrito, Fanny orig. Francesca Teresa Giuseppa Raffaela Cerrito (b. May 11, 1817, Naples, Italy—d. May 6, 1909, Paris, Fr.) Italian ballerina and choreographer. She made her debut in Naples (1832) and gained international fame in London (1840—48). She was known for the brilliance, strength, and vivacity of her dancing. Her greatest role was in Ondine (1843), created for her by Jules Perrot. Cerrito married her regular partner, Arthur Saint-Leon, in 1845. In 1854 she both choreo¬ graphed and danced in Gemma at the Paris Opera. She retired in 1857. She was one of the few women in the 19th century to achieve distinction as a choreographer.
Cerro Gordo \'ser-o-'g6r-do. Battle of Confrontation between U.S. and Mexican troops in April 1847 when U.S. forces under Winfield Scott first met serious resistance in the Mexican War. As Scott’s army marched from Veracruz to Mexico City, it attacked an entrenched Mexican force of 12,000 under Antonio Santa Anna at a mountain pass near Cerro Gordo. Scott’s troops routed the Mexicans, who left 1,130 casualties; the U.S. lost 63 men.
Cersobleptes \,ser-so-'blep- 1 tez\ (d. 342 bc) King of Thrace (360-342). He inherited a war with Athens and was opposed internally by two pre¬ tenders to the throne. To Athens he ceded the Thracian Chersonese (357); to the pretenders he relinquished western Thrace. He forged an alliance with Athens to oppose Macedonia, but was later excluded from the peace of 346 by Philip II.
certificate, digital See digital certificate
certificate of deposit (CD) Receipt from a bank acknowledging the deposit of a sum of money. The most common type, the time certificate of deposit, is for a fixed-term interest-bearing deposit in a large denomi¬ nation. It consequently pays higher interest than a savings account, though the investor who withdraws money before its maturity date is subject to a penalty. Introduced in the early 1960s, CDs have become a popular method of saving.
certiorari V.sor-sho-'rar-eX In law, a writ issued by a superior court for the reexamination of an action of a lower court. The writ of certiorari was originally a writ from England’s Court of Queen’s (King’s) Bench to the judges of an inferior court; it was later expanded to include writs from the equity (chancery) courts. In the U.S., certiorari is the most common means by which cases from the United States Courts of Appeals are reviewed by the Supreme Court of the United States. For the Supreme Court to issue a writ of certiorari, at least four justices must agree to hear the case.
Cervantes \s9r-'van-,tez\ (Saavedra), Miguel de (b. Sept. 29?, 1547, Alcala de Henares, Spain—d. April 22, 1616, Madrid) Spanish novelist, playwright, and poet, the most celebrated figure in Spanish lit¬ erature. After studying in Madrid, Cervantes joined the Italian infantry, fought the Turks at Lepanto, and was captured with his brother and sold into slavery in Algiers for five years. Back in Spain, his chronic financial problems and tangled affairs led to brushes with the law and brief impris¬
onment. While in tedious civil-service employment, he wrote the pasto¬ ral romance La Galatea (1585) and plays, poetry, and short stories, to small success. His marvelous creation Don Quixote (1605, 1615), brought immediate success and literary eminence, if not riches. It parodies chiv- alric romances of the day with the comic adventures of a bemused eld¬ erly knight who sets out on his old horse, Rosinante, with his pragmatic squire, Sancho Panza. Often considered the first and certainly one of the great novels, it has influenced many writers and inspired numerous cre¬ ations in other genres and media. Cervantes also published a large set of eight comedies and eight interludes for the stage (1615) and the romance The Labors of Persiles and Sigismunda (1617).
cervical spondylosis \ l span-d3-'lo-s3s\ Degenerative disease of the neck vertebrae. Compression of the spinal cord and cervical nerves by narrowing of spaces between vertebrae causes radiating neck or arm pain and stiffness, restricted head movement, headaches, spastic paralysis, and arm and leg weakness. Cervical spondylosis can resemble neurological disease with unrelated arthritis. It is treated with rest, traction, and pos¬ sibly a cervical collar. Removal of herniated disks or fusion of vertebrae may be necessary.
cervicitis N.ssr-vs-'sI-tssX Inflammation of the cervix of the uterus, caused by infection or irritation. It is most common during the years of men¬ struation. Cervicitis can be acute or chronic and may worsen during preg¬ nancy. It does not cause pain but may lead to polyps. The major symptom is an abundant discharge, which can impair fertility. Treatment may include antibiotics or cauterization or surgery to repair or remove the cer¬ vix; this does not affect fertility.
Cesaire \sa-'zer\, Aime (-Fernand) (b. June 25, 1913, Basse-Pointe, Mart.) Martinican poet and playwright. Educated in Paris, Cesaire returned to Martinique to be elected to the National Assembly as a Com¬ munist. A cofounder with Leopold Senghor of the Negritude movement, he ardently supported the decolonization of French colonies of Africa, a view expressed in the fiery poems of Return to My Native Land (1939) and Soleil cou-coupe (1948, “Sun’s Slashed Throat”). Discarding Negritude for black militancy, he turned to the theatre and wrote the political dra¬ mas The Tragedy of King Christophe (1963) and A Season in the Congo
(1966).
cesarean section \si-'zar-e-9n\ or C-section Surgical removal of a fetus from the uterus through an abdominal incision at or before full term. It is usually performed when vaginal delivery would endanger the life or health of the mother or the child. Vaginal delivery is often possible in subsequent pregnancies. Cesarean section carries the usual risks of major surgery. Once overused, largely for fear of malpractice suits, its use has been greatly reduced by the natural childbirth movement.