sierra

sierra
/see er"euh/, n.
1. a chain of hills or mountains, the peaks of which suggest the teeth of a saw.
2. any of several Spanish mackerels of the genus Scomberomorus, esp. S. sierra, found in western North America.
3. a word used in communications to represent the letter S.
[1590-1600; < Sp: lit., saw < L serra]

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(as used in expressions)
Sierra redwood
Republic of Sierra Leone

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      county, southwestern New Mexico, U.S. Sierra county is in the Mexican Highland section of the Basin and Range Province. Its irregular western border is the Black Range, including Hillsboro and Reeds peaks, both rising to more than 10,000 feet (3,000 m). The Rio Grande, including large impoundments at Caballo and Elephant Butte reservoirs, flows southward through the centre of the county. Immediately east of the reservoirs are the Sierra Caballo and Fra Cristobal Range; the Jornada del Muerto desert separates those mountains from the San Andreas Mountains in the northeast. Sierra county includes Gila National Forest, Aldo Leopold Wilderness, and Percha Dam, Caballo Lake, and Elephant Butte Lake state parks.

      For centuries Indians visited the hot springs at Truth or Consequences for their healing powers. Apaches roamed the Sierra county region by the time Francisco Vázquez de Coronado's expedition arrived in 1540. The Spanish first attempted to mine gold in the Sierra Caballo during the 17th century, and a gold and silver rush came to the Black Range in 1877. The county was established in 1884; the booming mining town of Hillsboro became the county seat.

      Truth or Consequences, now the county seat, was a popular retirement town in the late 20th century. Government expenditures, tourism, and agriculture (cattle, milk, vegetables, chiles) also are important to the economy. Area 4,181 square miles (10,828 square km). Pop. (2000) 13,270; (2007 est.) 12,316.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • sierra — [ sjera ] n. f. • 1622; mot esp. « scie » ♦ Dans les pays de langue espagnole, Montagne à relief allongé (dont le sommet peut être plat aussi bien qu aigu). La sierra Nevada. ● sierra nom féminin (espagnol sierra, scie) Nom donné, dans les pays… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • sierra — (Del lat. serra). 1. f. Herramienta para cortar madera u otros objetos duros, que generalmente consiste en una hoja de acero dentada sujeta a una empuñadura. 2. Lugar donde se sierra. 3. Herramienta que consiste en una hoja de acero fuerte, larga …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • sierra — sustantivo femenino 1. Área: geografía Cordillera de montañas con cimas picudas y abruptas. 2. Región montañosa: Los domingos voy con mis amigos a la sierra. 3. Herramienta formada por una hoja dentada de metal sujeta a un mango o armazón, para… …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • Sierra — Si*er ra, n. [Sp., properly, a saw, fr. L. serra a saw. See {Serrate}.] A ridge of mountain and craggy rocks, with a serrated or irregular outline; as, the Sierra Nevada. [1913 Webster] The wild sierra overhead. Whitter. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sierra — a range of hills, 1610s, from Sp. sierra jagged mountain range, lit. saw, from L. serra a saw …   Etymology dictionary

  • Sierra [1] — Sierra (span.), 1) so v.w. Säge; daher wegen der steilen u. zackigen Gipfel 2) so v.w. Gebirge, entspricht dem portugiesischen Serra, s.d …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Sierra [2] — Sierra, Grafschaft im Staate Californien (Nordamerika), an das Territory Utah grenzend, vom Yuba River durchflossen, gebirgig (Buttes Peak 9000 Fuß, Table Mountain 8000 Fuß, Saddle Peak 7209 Fuß); Producte: Gold, Mais, Weizen, Kartoffeln; 1850 :… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Sierra — (span., spr. ßjerra, portug. Serra, »Säge«), soviel wie Gebirgskette …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Sierra — Sĭerra (span.), s. Serra …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

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