Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, July 25, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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peddle
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Collective AdjectivesCollective adjectives are nominal adjectives (adjectives that act as nouns) used to refer to a group of people based on a characteristic that they share. What are some common collective adjectives? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Albanian Sworn VirginsIn parts of northern Albania, families follow a code of ethics called Kanun. This code allows women to take a vow to remain virgins for life. In return, they are treated as men in society. Once the vow is taken, Albanian sworn virgins dress like men, do traditional men's work, and are even referred to with masculine pronouns. Women who take the vow are said to do so for various reasons, including to avoid an arranged marriage. Can the decision be revoked? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Henry IV of France Converts to Catholicism (1593)Henry IV was the first of the Bourbon kings of France, reigning from 1589 until his death. A Protestant, Henry was involved in the Wars of Religion before his accession to the throne. He then converted to Catholicism, allegedly explaining his pragmatic philosophy with the statement, "Paris is well worth a mass." Five years later, he signed the Edict of Nantes, granting religious and civil liberties to Protestants, and ruled as one of the most popular French kings. Who assassinated him in 1610? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Henry Knox (1750)A bookseller, Knox became active in the colonial militia in the lead-up to the American Revolution. Upon the outbreak of war with England, he volunteered for the revolutionary forces and soon proved himself a capable tactician and leader. He was so highly regarded that he was chosen to succeed George Washington as commander of the army at the war's end and later served as the first US secretary of war. What did Knox accidentally swallow that caused an infection that claimed his life? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind.Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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weep (one's) heart out— To weep copiously; to cry intensely and for a long time. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Grotto Day (2022)In England during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, oysters were not considered the rare delicacy they are today, and the large number of oysters eaten at that time meant there were lots of shells around. On St. James's Day, which was observed on August 5 before the Gregorian, or New Style, Calendar came into use and on July 25 thereafter, children used the shells to construct small decorative grottoes. Sometimes the children begged for pennies as a reward for their efforts. Most of this grotto-building took place in London, and the custom continued up to the 1950s. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: worrycark - The noun means "solicitude or sympathetic feeling"; the verb means to fret anxiously or to cause distress or worry. More... distrait, distraught - Distrait means "absent-minded as a result of apprehension, worry, etc."—while distraught means "agitated" and "bewildered, distracted." More... ish kabbible - Meaning "I should worry," it is of unknown origin, but is perhaps derived from Yiddish nisht gefidlt, popularized (and perhaps coined) by comedienne Fanny Brice. More... kedogenous - "Brought about by worry or anxiety." More... | |