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Possible definitions for raash

Arachne
In Greek mythology, the daughter of the dyer Idmon of Colophon. She was a weaver who acquired such skill that she ventured to challenge Athena to a contest. Athena wove a tapestry showing the gods in majesty, while Arachne depicted them in their amorous adventures. Enraged at the perfection of her rival's work, Athena tore it to shreds, whereupon Arachne hanged herself. Out of pity Athena loosened the rope, which became a cobweb, and Arachne was changed into a spider.


ash
Any tree of the genus Fraxinus, in the olive family. The genus includes about 70 species of trees and shrubs found mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. The U.S. boasts 18 species of ash, five of which furnish most of the ash cut as lumber. Most important are the white ash (F. americana) and the green ash (F. pennsylvanica), which yield wood that is stiff, strong, and resilient, yet lightweight. This "white ash" is used for baseball bats, hockey sticks, paddles and oars, tennis and other racket frames, and the handles of agricultural tools. Black ash (F. nigra), blue ash (F. quadrangulata), and Oregon ash (F. latifolia) produce wood of comparable quality that is used for many more purposes, incl. furniture, interior paneling, and barrels.


Caishen
Chinese god of wealth, believed to bestow on his devotees the riches carried about by his attendants. A Ming-dynasty novel relates that a hermit, Zhao Gongming, employed magic to support the collapsing Shang dynasty. He was killed by Jiang Tzu-ya, a supporter of the Zhou dynasty. Rebuked for causing the death of a virtuous man, Jiang apologized in a temple, extolled Zhao's virtues, and canonized him as the god of wealth. During Chinese New Year, incense is burned in Caishen's temple and the greeting "May you become rich" is exchanged.


Dahshur
Ancient pyramid site, Egypt. It is located near Memphis on the W bank of the Nile. Two of its pyramids date from the 4th dynasty and were built by Snefru (r.2575-2551 BC); the smaller is believed to be the first true pyramid. The three remaining pyramids belong to the 12th dynasty (1938-1756 BC). Nearby tombs have yielded a remarkable collection of jewelry and personal accoutrements.


darshan
In Hindu worship, the beholding of an auspicious deity, person, or object. The experience is often conceived to be reciprocal and results in a blessing of the viewer. In rathayatras (car festivals), images are carried through the streets to allow viewing by those who formerly would not have been allowed in the temple. Darshan may also be imparted by a guru to his disciples, a ruler to his subjects, or a pilgrimage shrine to its visitors. In Indian philosophy, darshan also refers to a philosophical system (e.g., Vedanta).


Glashow
U.S. theoretical physicist. Born in New York City, he joined the faculty at Harvard Univ. in 1967. With Steven Weinberg (b.1933) and Abdus Salam (1926-1996), he ...

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