Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, September 15, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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mincing
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Interrogative AdjectivesEnglish has three interrogative adjectives: "what," "which," and "whose." They are called "interrogative" because they are usually used to ask questions. How can they be differentiated from interrogative pronouns? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Albertus MagnusMagnus was a 13th-century Dominican bishop regarded as one of the greatest German philosophers and theologians of the Middle Ages. He taught Thomas Aquinas, was a major Aristotelian scholar and commentator, and wrote prolifically on myriad subjects. Extraordinarily well-read, he possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of a vast array of scientific and philosophical disciplines. Various legends portray him as a magician or alchemist. His refusal to ride horses earned him what affectionate nickname? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Tragedy at Opening of Liverpool and Manchester Railway (1830)In 1830, festivities were held to mark the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the world's first inter-city passenger railway. Unfortunately, the celebration turned tragic when William Huskisson, the Member of Parliament for Liverpool, got off the train to speak with the Duke of Wellington during a temporary stop and was fatally injured by an oncoming train. He thus became the world's first railway passenger to be killed by a train. How fast did these trains initially travel? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Porfirio Díaz (1830)Díaz supported Benito Juárez in Mexico's war against the French, but when he lost to Juárez in the 1871 presidential election, Díaz charged fraud and led a revolt. After losing again in 1876, he led another revolt and became president. Though his rule was ruthless, it saw financial stability and the expansion of railroads and telegraph lines. The Mexican Revolution was launched in 1910 to end his dictatorship, and he fled to Europe and died in exile. As a teen, what had Díaz trained to become? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power.Washington Irving (1783-1859) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have (a) skeleton(s) in (one's)/the closet— To have (an) embarrassing, unpleasant, damaging, or incriminating secret(s) from one's past. Primarily heard in US. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Costa Rica Independence Day (2023)On this day in 1821, Costa Rica achieved independence after having been ruled by Spain since the early 1500s. El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua also declared independence from Spain on September 15, 1821. On the evening of September 14, the president traditionally lights a torch representing liberty in the old capital city of Cartago and, on Independence Day, gives a speech to schoolchildren. There are more speeches and dancing in San José, the modern capital. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: replyriposte - A counterstroke, such as a snappy retort, from Italian riposta, "reply, response." More... antapology - The reply to an apology, such as "That's all right." More... irrespondence - People not answering your e-mails? That's irrespondence! (Failure to reply.) More... | |