Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, February 20, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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cornucopia
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Negative Declarative SentencesNot all declarative sentences are straightforward statements of positive fact—there are a few variations that express slightly different information, while still remaining declarative in nature. In negative declarative sentences (or simply "negative sentences"), what two words can be used to make information negative? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Potato CannonsAlso known as spud guns, potato cannons are inexpensive and often homemade devices that use air pressure or combustion to launch potatoes—or other projectiles—at high speed. Typically built and used by hobbyists, potato cannons are usually made of plastic piping, which is readily available at hardware stores. They are inherently dangerous but are generally not illegal. Similar devices include hail cannons, bird-scarers, and chicken cannons, which are used for what specific, practical purposes? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Edward VI Crowned King of England (1547)Edward VI succeeded his father, Henry VIII, to the throne at age nine and had a brief but tumultuous reign. War with France broke out in 1549 over the possession of Boulogne. At home, the peasantry grew disgruntled at the enclosure of the common land, Edward's advisors engaged in ruthless political scheming, and religious inclinations began to shift in favor of Protestantism—the king's religion. Unrest continued after Edward's death at age 15 because he had named whom as his successor? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Joshua Slocum (1844)Slocum was a Canadian seaman and adventurer who, in 1898, became the first man to circumnavigate the globe on his own, traveling 46,000 mi (74,000 km) in three years. His account of the voyage, Sailing Alone Around the World, became a classic of travel literature and brought him worldwide fame. In November 1909, he disappeared during another voyage and was declared legally dead 15 years later. What is believed to have happened to him? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Charity begins at home, and justice begins next door.Charles Dickens (1812-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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bring a knife to a gunfight— To come poorly prepared or equipped for some task, goal, competition, or confrontation. Often used in the negative as a forewarning or piece of advice. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Black History Month (2023)Black History Month grew out of Negro History Week, which was established in February 1926 by African-American historian Carter G. Woodson, who founded the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History. Initially designed to encompass the birthday of the abolitionist orator Frederick Douglass on February 14 as well as Abraham Lincoln's Birthday, it was expanded in 1976 to a month-long observance. The event is widely observed by schools, churches, libraries, clubs, and organizations wishing to draw attention to the contributions of African Americans. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: punchpunch buggy - A game in which the first player to call "punch buggy!" on sighting a Volkswagen Beetle gets to punch the other person. More... doust - A firm blow or punch. More... pack a punch, pack it in - Pack a punch is of U.S. origin from the 1920s, as is pack it in. More... punch - Has an obscure origin, but stories include it being from Sanskrit panca, "five/five kinds of," as the drink had five ingredients. More... | |