Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, October 8, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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ostracize
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Grammatical PersonGrammatical person refers to the degree of involvement of a participant in an action, event, or circumstance. There are three degrees of grammatical person. What are they? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Evil EyeThe people of the world have many superstitions, but one in particular is shared by a number of cultures, especially those of the Mediterranean and Middle East: the evil eye. Traditions and beliefs surrounding the evil eye vary, but it is generally thought to stem from envy and malice toward prosperity and beauty. Thus, in many cultures, unguarded praise of one's possessions or children is thought to invite misfortune. Who is typically thought to be most vulnerable to the evil eye? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Great Chicago Fire (1871)The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned for more than two days and destroyed about four square miles of the city. It killed hundreds of people, left 90,000 homeless, and destroyed some $200 million worth of property. Originally composed of mostly wooden structures, the city was rebuilt with stone and steel and became a center of industry. According to early accounts of the disaster, the blaze began in a barn owned by Patrick and Catherine O'Leary. What supposedly caused the fire? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Henri Louis Le Châtelier (1850)Le Châtelier was a French chemist best known for devising Le Châtelier's principle, which makes it possible to predict the effect that a change in conditions—such as temperature, pressure, or concentration of components—will have on a chemical reaction. The principle states that a system in equilibrium, when subjected to a perturbation, will respond in a way that tends to minimize its effect and restore equilibrium. In 1928, Le Châtelier published a book on what system of scientific management? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Think not, is my eleventh commandment; and sleep when you can, is my twelfth.Herman Melville (1819-1891) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have nothing to do— To have no tasks or actions that one must complete or undertake; to have nothing with which to occupy one's time. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Peru Battle of Angamos (2023)The War of the Pacific (1879-1883) began when Chile and Bolivia fought for control of a portion of the Atacama Desert. On October 8, 1879, the Chilean Navy captured Peru's ironclad warship, the Huáscar, and killed the captain, Admiral Miguel Grau. Chile gained control over the seas and was thus able to invade Peru and Bolivia. October 8 is a national holiday in Peru to remember the lost Battle of Angamos. On this day, military and civil parades are held, and celebrations are held to honor the heroic deeds of Admiral Miguel Grau and his role in the battle. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: strangerextranean - An outsider or stranger, a person not belonging to a household. More... barbarian - Based on Greek barbaros, "stranger" or "enemy." More... stranger - Originally a foreigner, from Old French estrangier, from Latin extraneus, "person outside." More... pilgrim - Its basic meaning was "traveler, homeless wanderer," from Latin peregrinum, "foreigner, stranger." More... | |