Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, August 25, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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edification
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Degrees of Comparison - AdverbsJust like adjectives, adverbs have comparative and superlative degrees; adverbs in their basic forms are sometimes known as being in the positive degree. What do superlative adverbs identify? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The NecktieA necktie is a narrow fabric band of varying length worn around the neck and tied in a knot or bow close to the throat. The modern tie, ascot, and bowtie are descended from the 17th c. cravat. Originally, the four-in-hand necktie was cut on the square and had square ends. The bias-cut necktie, introduced in 1926, allowed the tie to fall evenly from the knot without twisting. Using mathematical modeling, researchers have discovered 85 possible necktie knots. How many are "aesthetically pleasing"? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 New York Sun Publishes "The Great Moon Hoax" (1835)"The Great Moon Hoax" was a series of six New York Sun articles discussing the supposed discovery of life on the Moon. The discovery—allegedly made using a massive telescope—was falsely attributed to famed astronomer Sir John Herschel. In the articles, the author claims that unicorns, bipedal beavers, bat-like humanoids, and other fantastic animals inhabit a forest- and ocean-covered Moon. The series was likely intended to boost the paper's sales and ridicule what contemporary theories? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Allan Pinkerton (1819)Pinkerton, an American detective and spy, founded the first private detective agency in the US—the Pinkerton Detective Agency—in 1850. The agency, which specialized in railroad theft cases, soon became famous, and Pinkerton opened branches in several cities. In 1860, he discovered and thwarted a plot to assassinate newly elected President Abraham Lincoln while en route to his inauguration. He went on to serve as a spy during the Civil War and head up what would become what government agency? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends.Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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harp on the same string— To dwell tediously and repeatedly upon a single subject or topic, especially in complaint. Likened to playing the same note over and over again on a harp. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Uruguay Independence Day (2023)This national holiday commemorates the declaration of independence of Uruguay from Portuguese rule on this day in 1825. By 1828, Uruguay was officially autonomous. Patriotic ceremonies are held in the capital city of Montevideo, with speeches and the singing of the national anthem. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: tombepitaph - From Greek epi, "upon, over," and taphos, "tomb" or "funeral." More... lair - First meant "grave, tomb," or "place where one sleeps." More... pall, pallbearer - Pallbearer is based on pall, which was first a cloth spread over a coffin, hearse, or tomb. More... cromlech - Is Welsh for "arched stone" and means "any megalithic chamber tomb." More... | |