Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, April 29, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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diaphanous
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Understanding Tenses in EnglishGrammatical tense refers to the conjugation of a verb to reflect its place in time—that is, when the action occurred. There are technically only two grammatical tenses in English: the past and the present. Why is English considered not to have a true future tense? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Cardiac CycleThe sequence of events that occurs as the heart pumps blood through the body is called the cardiac cycle. A single "beat" involves systole, diastole, and an intervening pause. Systole is the contraction of the heart, during which blood in the chambers is forced onward. Diastole is the relaxation and dilatation of the chambers, especially the ventricles, during which they fill with blood. What onomatopoeic words are used in medical literature to describe the heartbeat sound heard during systole? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 WWII: Operation Manna Begins (1945)During WWII, the Royal Air Force delivered 6,680 tons of food into parts of the German-occupied Netherlands, with the acquiescence of the occupying forces, to feed starving Dutch citizens suffering from a famine that ultimately claimed 18,000 lives. Operation Manna, as it was called, was named for the food that the Book of Exodus says miraculously appeared for the Israelites in the wilderness. The mission ended on May 8, when Germany's surrender ended the war in Europe. How was the food delivered? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 John Arbuthnot (1667)Greatly admired in his time, Arbuthnot was a Scottish scientist, mathematician, and satirist. The court physician to Queen Anne, he is best remembered for his five "John Bull" pamphlets, political satires on the Whig war policy that introduced the character John Bull, a personification of England akin to the American Uncle Sam. With his friends Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, and John Gay, Arbuthnot was a founding member of the famous Scriblerus Club, an organization devoted to what? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.William Shakespeare (1564-1616) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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keep the lid on (something)— To quash or suppress something; to control something so as to keep it from flourishing, increasing, or succeeding. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Stanford Antigua Sailing Week (2024)The island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is famous for stiff easterly trade winds, which are ideal for sailing. Thus, it is little wonder that Antigua is the site of a major international sailing event that draws racing fans and yachting enthusiasts from all over the world. The first Antigua Sailing Week took place in 1968; since then, the regatta has expanded to include as many as 1,500 sailors and 200 yachts of various sizes that compete in 16 different classes. Nearly every day of Sailing Week, yachts face off in courses of various distances and orientations toward the wind. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: perfumesilence - Lack of flavor in a distilled spirit or lack of scent in a flower, perfume, or spice is a "silence." More... perfume, eau de toilette, cologne, eau de cologne - Perfume or parfum is 20–40% oil and the highest concentration; eau de toilette is 10–18% oil, and cologne or eau de cologne is 3–9% oil. More... attar - A flower's essence, used for perfume. More... toilet water, eau de toilette - Eau de toilette, or toilet water, is a dilute form of perfume. More... | |