Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, October 5, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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discombobulate
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Primary Auxiliary VerbsThe "primary" auxiliary verbs are "be," "have," and "do"—they occur most commonly in English. What is the emphatic "do"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Speakers' CornerOften a scene of lively debate, a speakers' corner is an area designated for public speech-making. The northeast corner of London's Hyde Park may be the most famous speakers' corner, having hosted such orators as Karl Marx and George Orwell. However, speakers' corners exist—with varying degrees of freedom—around the world, including countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Trinidad and Tobago. One location in the Netherlands, the Spreeksteen of Amsterdam, was created after what notable murder? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The March on Versailles (1789)During the French Revolution, 6,000 knife-wielding fishwives and their husbands marched to the Palace of Versailles, gleefully singing songs about killing Marie Antoinette, whom they blamed for recent bread shortages. They broke into the palace early the next morning and beheaded two royal guards. The queen, her children, and her attendants hid in the king's bedchamber while a large crowd gathered in the courtyard outside, demanding an audience. Aside from food, what did they demand of the king? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Denis Diderot (1713)Enormously influential in shaping the rationalistic spirit of the 18th century, Diderot was a French encyclopedist, philosopher, novelist, dramatist, and art critic. After rejecting a career in law to pursue his own studies, he served as chief editor of the 35-volume Encyclopédie, one of the principal works of the Enlightenment, from 1745 to 1772. The controversial project was once the target of a seizure by government officials. Where were the manuscripts said to have been hidden? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Diplomacy, n.: The patriotic art of lying for one's country.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have (something) on— To be busy or engaged with something; to have plans to do something at a particular point in time. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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.svg.png) Fiestas de Octubre (October Feasts) (2023)The October Feasts have been held every year in the city of Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, since 1965. Throughout the month, residents and visitors enjoy a variety of cultural events that celebrate local and international culture, including opera, jazz and other musical performances, art exhibits, folk dances, ballet, theater, and food. Attendees can also find amusement park rides, bungee jumping, and a haunted house billed as "one of the largest in Latin America." More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: measuredApgar score - A measure of a baby's well-being taking into consideration respiratory effort, skin color, heart rate, muscle tone, and sense of smell (named for American anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar). More... datum line - The horizontal or base line, from which the heights of points are reckoned or measured, as in the plan of a railway, etc. More... scantling - Means "measured or prescribed size" or a "set of standard dimensions." More... military time - Time measured on a 24-hour scale of 0100-2400 hours. More... | |