Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, May 25, 2021)Word of the Day | |||||||
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savoir-faire
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Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining PhrasesPhrases are groups of two or more words that work together to perform a single grammatical function in a sentence. How do phrases differ from clauses? More... |
Article of the Day | |
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Project HabakkukIt seems like pure folly to build a ship—let alone a giant aircraft carrier—out of ice, but during World War II, that is exactly what inventor Geoffrey Pyke proposed the Allies do. While plain ice—the kind put in drinks—is not strong or durable enough for such a task, Pyke believed a composite material made of wood pulp and ice would be. For much of 1943, a multinational team based in Canada toiled to realize a ship made of pykrete—a portmanteau of Pyke and concrete. Did the project succeed? More... |
This Day in History | |
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Star Wars Is Released (1977)After its release in 1977, Star Wars became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, spawning two film sequels and three prequels as well as myriad novels, video games, and comic books. The films, which grossed over $4 billion, chronicle Luke Skywalker's quest to help the rebels defeat an evil empire and iconic villain Darth Vader. What US president's proposed strategic defense system against nuclear attacks, which was to include space-based lasers, was derisively dubbed "Star Wars"? More... |
Today's Birthday | |
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Sir Ian McKellen (1939)McKellen is an English star of stage and screen, noted for his performances in everything from Shakespearean works to modern theater to popular fantasy and science fiction. He began his professional acting career in the 1960s, and has worked steadily ever since. His recent roles in blockbuster films such as The Lord of the Rings and X-Men have earned him widespread recognition and introduced him to a new generation of fans. When was McKellen knighted? More... |
Quotation of the Day | |
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Younger brothers are commonly fortunate, but seldom or never where the elder are disinherited. Francis Bacon (1561-1626) |
Idiom of the Day | |
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after a while— Following a certain period of time, usually one that is relatively short. More... |
Today's Holiday | |
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Moving Day (Scotland) (2023)The idea of packing up one's belongings and changing residences on a particular day has been a tradition in many countries. In Scotland, it was called Flitting Day and took place on May 25. The decision of whether to "sit or flit" was up to the tenant, but "flitting" seemed to be more common. On Flitting Day, they had to vacate their houses by noon, which often meant a great upheaval for the family during the preceding day or two. Apparently, the novelty value of flitting outweighed the boredom of sitting. More... |
Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: tokenjetton - A counter or token used as a gambling chip or to operate slot machines. More... token - Etymologically, something that "shows" you something, from a base meaning "show, sign." More... indicium - An indication, sign, or token—specifically, the stamp on mail indicating paid postage. More... signal, sign - Signal is from Latin signalis, "of a sign," from signum, "mark, token"—from which sign is derived. More... |