Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, June 27, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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snooze
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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MitigatorsMitigators are adverbs or adverbials that modify adjectives and adverbs to reduce their intensity, making them seem less extreme or powerful. What is the difference between mitigators and intensifiers? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Kelvin Water DropperThe Kelvin water dropper is an electrostatic generator that was invented in the 1860s by William Thomson—better known as Lord Kelvin. The device uses drops of water falling into separate buckets to generate opposite electrical charges, which will eventually discharge via an arc between the buckets. If the buckets are insulated from each other, they can become so charged that they may even fling the water droplets away before they land. How can one build such a device at home? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Battle of Dettingen (1743)In 1713, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI issued the Pragmatic Sanction, which stated that a female heir could inherit his lands. When his daughter Maria Theresa became queen in 1740, the War of Austrian Succession erupted. Austrian, British, German, and Dutch troops formed the Pragmatic Army, named in support of the sanction, and defeated French troops in the Battle of Dettingen, despite having no access to supplies. In the battle, what did King George II do that no British monarch has done since? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Louis XII of France (1462)King of France from 1498 to 1515, Louis XII succeeded his cousin Charles VIII. Called the "Father of the People" by his subjects, Louis maintained his popularity by ruling with moderation. Despite early victories, he was unsuccessful in asserting French claims in Italy after he met resistance from Pope Julius II's "Holy League." Though his failures in Italy did not tarnish his image in France, they were the subject of a commentary in a famous work by what Italian political theorist of the time? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Clock, n.: A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time remains to him.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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loaf about— To waste time idly; to spend time doing little or nothing. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith (2021)Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as Mormons, commemorate the day on which their founder, Joseph Smith, and his brother, Hyrum, were murdered in the city jail in Carthage, Illinois, in 1844. Joseph had announced his candidacy for presidency earlier that year; as the mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, Smith saw to it that the press used to print the opposition newspaper was destroyed. Threats of mob violence followed, and Smith and his brother were jailed for treason. A mob of men stormed the jail on June 27 and killed them, thus elevating them to the status of martyrs. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: opportunityEl Dorado - A place offering fabulous wealth or opportunity (after the legendary place in South America, "the gilded one"). More... ease - First meant "opportunity, ability," or "means to do something." More... hint - First meant "an occasion or opportunity." More... occasion - Once had the specific sense of "an opportunity for finding fault or giving offense." More... | |