Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, March 1, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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antecedent
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Forming the Past Perfect TenseThe past perfect tense expresses the idea that something occurred before another action. Because we use the past perfect to highlight two separate points in the past, what do we often use to specify the order in which they occurred in time? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The LingamThe lingam is a Hindu symbol of the god Shiva and of generative power. Fashioned from wood, gems, metal, or stone, lingams are common in family shrines throughout India. Historically, the lingam was a representation of the phallus, and a sexual dimension is apparent today as the yoni—symbol of the female sex organ—often forms the base of the lingam to emphasize the male and female aspects of existence. What did British missionary William Ward say about lingams in his 1815 book? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Wellington Avalanche (1910)During a multi-day blizzard in February 1910, a passenger train and a mail train got stuck in Wellington, Washington, high in the Cascade Mountains. Once the snow finally let up, it changed to rain—with tragic consequences. Early on March 1, an avalanche threw the two trains off the tracks and into a valley below, killing 96 people. It was not the only deadly avalanche in the area that year—one struck British Columbia three days later. How did the disaster change railroading in the Cascades? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Frédéric Chopin (1810)Chopin was a Polish composer and one of the great masters of Romantic music. He published his first composition at age seven and began performing at eight. He moved to Paris when he was 21 and became a celebrity with his first concert the following year. Among the most significant composers in the history of the piano, Chopin's innovations in fingering, use of the pedals, and general treatment of the keyboard were highly influential. With what French writer did he have a long relationship? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Everyone is as God has made him, and oftentimes a great deal worse.Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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the heebie-jeebies— An extreme or acute sensation of fear, apprehension, worry, or anxiety. Often used with "get" or "give." More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Martenitza (Baba Marta) (2024)Every year on March 1, people in Bulgaria present each other with martenitzas—two joined tassels of red-and-white woolen thread symbolizing health and happiness. In some regions, women dress completely in red on this day. In northeastern Bulgaria, the lady of the house traditionally tosses a red cloth over a fruit tree, or spreads a red woolen cloth on the fields for fertility. In stock-breeding areas, a red-and-white thread is tied to the cattle. Bulgaria is the only country where this particular fertility custom seems to have survived. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: startsptarmic - Describing a substance that starts a sneezing bout. More... early adopter - A person who starts using a technology or product as soon as it becomes available. More... prolepsis - Anticipation before something starts is prolepsis. More... start from scratch - Comes from giving handicaps to some competitors in racing; a contestant who starts from scratch (a line scratched in the turf or gravel) is the one who has no special advantage. More... | |