Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, January 4, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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dispassionate
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Focusing AdverbsFocusing adverbs are used to draw attention to a particular part of a clause. They frequently point to verb phrases. Where can focusing adverbs be placed in a sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Thieves' CantDating to the early 16th century, thieves' cant was a secret language used in the criminal underworld of Great Britain by thieves, beggars, vagrants, and supposedly Gypsies. Beginning in the mid-1500s, numerous "canting dictionaries" were published, and the code words of the thieves' language came to be widely known. Though the argot is almost totally obsolete today, what small group of people was reported in 2009 to have revived thieves' cant for everyday use? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Donald Campbell Dies in Water Speed Record Attempt (1967)Following in the footsteps of his father—record-breaking English racing enthusiast Malcolm Campbell—Donald Campbell set the world speed record on water at 276 mph (445 km/h) in 1964. In 1967, during an attempt to set a new record, Donald's jet-powered boat violently disintegrated over Coniston Water, killing him instantly. Though his teddy bear mascot was found floating among the debris, Donald's body was not recovered until nearly 35 years later. Did he at least succeed in breaking his record? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Sir Isaac Newton (1643)Widely considered the greatest scientist who ever lived, Newton was an English physicist and mathematician. His most famous publication, Principia Mathematica, regarded as the seminal work of modern science, includes his works on the laws of motion, tidal theory, and the theory of universal gravitation. Newton also worked out the fundamentals of calculus, though this work went unpublished for more than 30 years. How might Newton's study of alchemy have influenced his theory of gravity? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Quotation, n.: the act of repeating erroneously the words of another.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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horse-trade— To negotiate, trade, or bargain in a shrewd, judicious manner. Primarily heard in US. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Myanmar Independence Day (2024)The southeast Asian country of Burma (renamed Myanmar in 1989 by its military government), was given independence in 1948, when it refused to rejoin the British Commonwealth following Japanese occupation in World War II. The former capital, Yangon (formerly Rangoon), is decorated for Independence Day festivities, and the day is marked by sports and fairs in most cities. Burmese people dress in their national costume, which consists of an aingyi (blouse or shirt) and a longyi (skirt); panthay khowse (noodles and chicken) is traditionally served on this day, as is nga sak kin (curried fish balls). More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: usefulalpha version, preview version, beta version - Alpha version describes a development status that usually means the first complete version of a program or application, which is most likely unstable, but is useful to show what the product will do to, usually, a selected group—and is also called preview version; the beta version is usually the last version before wide release, often tested by users under real-world conditions. More... index fossil - One useful for dating and demonstrating the relation between strata in which it is found. More... putti - Cupids that make themselves useful, as in old paintings; the singular is putto. More... decorative arts - Any of the arts that create entities that are both useful and beautiful. More... | |