guinea fowl Any of a family (Numididae) of African birds, sometimes placed in the family Phasianidae. One species ( Numida meleagris) is widely domesticated for its flesh and, because it gabbles loudly at the least
alarm, as a “watchdog” on farms.
Wild forms of this species are known as helmet guinea fowl because of their large bony crest. Many varieties are widespread in the savannas and scrublands of Africa, and the guinea fowl has been introduced into the West Indies and elsewhere. About 20 in. (50 cm) long, in its typical form it has a bare face, brown eyes, red and blue wattles at the bill, white-spotted black plumage, and a hunched pos¬ ture. It lives in flocks and feeds on seed tubers and some insects.
guinea pig Domesticated species (Cavia porcellus ) of South American cavy (family Caviidae). It resembles most other cavies in being stout, short-legged, and about 10 in. (25 cm) long. It has small ears, no exter¬ nal tail, and a coat that is black, tan, cream-coloured, brown, white, or a combination of these colours. Hair length and texture vary among varieties. It feeds largely on grass and other green plants. Domesticated in pre-Incan times, it was introduced into Europe in the early 16th century. It is a popular pet and a valuable research animal.
guinea worm or medina worm or dragon worm Nematode (Dracunculus medinensis) that is a common parasite of humans and other mammals in tropical Asia and Africa and has been introduced into the West Indies and tropical South America. The female grows to 20-48 in. (50-120 cm) long; the male, which dies upon mating, is only about 0.5- 1.1 in. (12-29 mm) long. Both sexes live in the connective tissue of the host animal. Humans become infected when they drink water containing tiny crustaceans (e.g., copepods) that have eaten guinea-worm larvae. The disease the guinea worm carries, called dracunculiasis, can be extremely debilitating and painful.
Guinevere See Arthurian legend
Guinness Vgi-nos\ (de Cuffe), Sir Alec (b. April 2, 1914, London, Eng.—d. Aug. 5, 2000, Midhurst, West Sussex) British actor. He made his stage debut in 1934. His reputation soared after 1936, when he joined the Old Vic company and starred in plays by William Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, and Anton Chekhov. A versatile actor, he won the praise of New York critics and audiences in Shakespearean roles and in T.S. Eli¬ ot’s The Cocktail Party (1946). His many films include comedies such as Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), The Captain’s Paradise (1953), and Our Man in Havana (1959) as well as dramas such as The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957, Academy Award) and Tunes of Glory (1960). He won a new generation of fans in three Star Wars films (1977, 1980, 1983).
Guinness PLC Vgi-nosX Manufacturer of distilled liquors and brewer of a distinctive, dark, creamy stout. It originated in Dublin, where Arthur Guinness bought a small brewery in the late 18th century. From 1799 the brewery produced only Guinness stout, which became known as the national beer of Ireland. Incorporated in 1886 as Arthur Guinness Son and Co. Ltd., it did not become a public limited company until 1982. In 1955, to help settle trivia disputes in pubs, it began publishing The Guinness Book of Records, which has become perhaps the best-selling book (annually) in the world. In 1997 it merged with Grand Metropolitan PLC, the parent company of Burger King, to form the London-based Diageo PLC.
Guiscard, Robert See Robert Guiscard
Guise, Francois de Lorraine, 2nd duke de (b. Feb. 24, 1519, Bar, France—d. Feb. 24, 1563, Orleans) French soldier and loyal servant to the French crown, the greatest figure produced by the house of Guise. He fought in Francis I’s army and was badly wounded at the siege of Bou¬ logne (1545), earning him the nickname “the Scarred.” He led French armies in other victories against the English and the Spanish. On the accession of Francis II (1559), Guise became grand master of the royal household. The Bourbons launched a conspiracy to overthrow the Guises, who learned of the plot and ruthlessly suppressed it (1560). When Cathe¬ rine de Medicis became regent (1560), she supported the Bourbons (who
Vulturine guinea fowl [Acryllium vul- turinum)
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were leaders of the Huguenot movement) and religious toleration and was against the Guises and Catholic dominance. The first of the resultant Wars of Religion again showed Guise to be an outstanding soldier. He was assassinated by a Huguenot in 1563.
Guise, Henri I de Lorraine, 3rd duke de (b. Dec. 31, 1550—d. Dec. 23, 1588, Blois, France) French leader of the Catholic party and the Holy League during the French Wars of Religion. When Catherine de Medi- cis turned to the Guises in 1572 for help in removing the Huguenot Gas- pard II de Coligny, Henri, who blamed Coligny for the murder of his father, the 2nd duke de Guise, helped plan the Massacre of Saint Bartholomew's Day. Fearing Guise’s growing popularity, Henry III made peace with the Huguenots in 1576, and Guise angrily countered by forming the Holy League. After Guise’s victory in the War of the Three Henrys (1588), Henry was forced to surrender to the Holy League’s demands, and Guise was appointed lieutenant general of France. Soon afterward the king’s body¬ guard stabbed Guise to death; the next day his brother, Louis II (1555— 88), Cardinal de Guise, was also murdered.
Guise, Henri II de Lorraine, 5th duke de (b. April 4,1614, Blois, France—d. June 2, 1664) French leader of the house of Guise. He was already archbishop of Rheims when he became duke de Guise in 1640. After being sentenced to death for his part in a conspiracy against Car¬ dinal de Richelieu (1641), he fled to Brussels and commanded the Austrian troops against France. He unsuccessfully led the Neapolitans in their war against Spain (1647, 1654), then spent the rest of his life at the French court, trying unsuccessfully to revive the power of the Guise dynasty.
Guise Vgez\, house of Noble French Roman Catholic family that played a major role in French politics during the Reformation. Claude de Lorraine (1496-1550) was created the 1st duke de Guise in 1527 for his service to Francis I in the defense of France. Claude’s sons Francois, 2nd duke de Guise, and Charles, cardinal de Lorraine (1524-1574), gained great power during the reign of Francis II. Supported by Spain and the papacy, their persecution of the Huguenots led to the unsuccessful Amboise Conspiracy (1560), an attempted assassination of the leaders of the Guise party and transfer of power to the house of Bourbon. The Guise- led massacre of a Huguenot congregation at Vassy precipitated the Wars of Religion, in which Henri I, 3rd duke de Guise, was a prominent leader. Charles de Lorraine, 4th duke de Guise (1571-1640), lived through the rapid decline of the family’s power. Henri II, 5th duke de Guise, tried unsuccessfully to revive the family’s power; the direct line expired with the death of his grand-nephew in 1675.
guitar Plucked stringed instrument. It normally has six strings, a fretted fingerboard, and a soundbox with a pronounced waist. It probably origi¬ nated in Spain in the early 16th century. By 1800 it was being strung with
strings
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six single strings; 19th-century innovations gave it its modern form. Mod¬ ern classical guitar technique owes much to Francisco Tarrega (1852— 1909), and Andres Segovia gave the instrument prominence in the concert hall. However, it has always been primarily an amateur’s instrument, and it remains an important folk instrument in many countries. The 12-string guitar is strung in six double courses. The Hawaiian, or steel, guitar is held horizontally and the strings are stopped by the pressure of a metal bar, producing a sweet glissando tone. The electric guitar represented a major development. Electric pickups were attached to the acoustic guitar in the 1920s. In the 1940s Les Paul invented the solid-body guitar; lack¬ ing a soundbox, it transmits only the string vibrations. With its long- sustained notes, affinity for strong amplification, and capacity for