Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, September 4, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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husbandman
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Superlative AdjectivesSuperlative adjectives describe the attribute of a person or thing that is the highest (or lowest) in degree compared to the members of the noun’s group. What suffix is added to the end of an adjective to form a superlative adjective? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Mother-of-PearlNacre, also known as mother-of-pearl, is the iridescent substance that forms the shell lining of some fresh-water and salt-water mollusks. Just like the pearl, it is a mantle tissue secretion and is composed of alternating layers of calcium carbonate and conchiolin. It serves to both smooth the shell and defend it against parasitic organisms and damaging debris. Its iridescent beauty makes it a popular ornamentation in jewelry, watches and guitar inlays. What other decorative uses does it have? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Maiden Flight of the First US Airship (1923)The USS Shenandoah was the first American-built rigid dirigible. Its design was based on a German zeppelin downed during WWI, and it was the first ship to be filled with helium—making it safer than hydrogen-filled crafts. A year after its maiden voyage, it became the first rigid airship to cross North America. While on another tour in 1925, it passed through a storm and was torn apart. Thirteen crew members died in the crash. How did those who survived the disaster manage to do so? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Constantijn Huygens (1596)Constantijn Huygens was a Dutch humanist and poet and the father of famed scientist Christiaan Huygens. His descriptive and satirical poems were highly esteemed, and both English and French monarchs knighted him in recognition of his genius. Thousands of his letters have survived to this day and attest to his wide acquaintance with contemporary scholars, including Descartes and Donne. Huygens was also an accomplished musician and composer. How old was he when he died? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 "I could tell you my adventures—beginning from this morning," said Alice a little timidly: "but it's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have a go (at something)— To attempt to do or undertake something, especially that which is unfamiliar or new. Primarily heard in UK. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Roman Games (2023)Like the Plebeian Games, the Roman Games were held in honor of Jupiter. They date back to the dedication of the temple to Jupiter on the Capitoline hill on September 13, 509 BCE, and were originally a one-day event. By the time of Caesar, the Games lasted a full 15 days, beginning on September 4. A grand procession to the Circus Maximus, a huge arena just outside Rome, signaled the beginning of the festival. Events included boxing, running, and wrestling contests, occasional mock battles, and two- and four-horse chariot races. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: runnerrunner - A blade of a skate or sled. The supports on which a drawer slides are also called runners. More... dromedary, Bactrian - A one-hump camel is a dromedary (from Latin, meaning "swift camel," from Greek dromas, "runner") and a two-hump camel is a Bactrian (from Bactria in Asia). More... cursor - First meant "runner" or "running messenger" and is now the moving/movable indicator on a computer screen. More... dromomania - A mania for roaming or running, from Latin dromas. More... | |