Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, June 2, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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delirious
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Words with the Same Plural and Singular FormsSome nouns remain the same in singular and plural forms. "Sheep" is one such noun. What are some others? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Nika RiotsNearly half of Constantinople was destroyed and some 30,000 people were killed in the Nika riots of 532 CE. Chariot racing was quite popular at the time, and rivalries between the fans of competing teams often became mingled with political or religious disputes, sometimes leading to riots. The Nika riots began when spectators at a chariot racing event, angered by the emperor's refusal to pardon two rioters accused of murder, started attacking his palace. How was the rebellion finally suppressed? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Bare-Knuckle Fighter Dies After 99-Round Fight (1833)In 1830, bare-knuckle prizefighter Simon Byrne, Ireland's heavyweight boxing champion, fought Alexander McKay, the "Champion of Scotland," for the right to challenge England's heavyweight champ. McKay died of a head injury shortly after losing the lengthy fight, and Byrne was charged but later cleared of manslaughter. Three years later, Byrne fought England's champion, James Burke. After 3 hours and 99 rounds, Byrne was knocked out. He died days later. What became of Burke after the fatal fight? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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.png) The Marquis de Sade (1740)Described by French poet Guillaume Apollinaire as "the freest spirit that has yet existed," the Marquis de Sade was a French novelist and philosopher infamous for his wildly liberal lifestyle and erotic writings. The term "sadism" derives from his depictions of violent behavior, and he spent decades in prisons and insane asylums for his scandalous actions. How did he try to incite a riot at the Bastille, where he was imprisoned just days before it was stormed by French revolutionaries? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Circus, n.: A place where horses, ponies and elephants are permitted to see men, women, and children acting the fool.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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go off in a huff— To leave in an angry, belligerent, or vexed mood. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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.jpg) Malaysia Birthday of SPB Yangdi-Pertuan Agong (2023)Malaysia practices a system of government based on a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The head of state is the king, also known as Seri Paduka Baginda (SPB) Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Although the term king is used, this is not a hereditary position—the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected to a five-year term. Every year, the first Saturday in June is set aside as a national holiday in Malaysia to celebrate the birthday of the current and past SPB Yang di-Pertuan Agongs. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: scrapeerase - From Latin e-, "out," and radere, "scrape." More... raze, razor - Raze, from French raser, "shave close," is from Latin radere, "scrape, scratch"—also giving us razor. More... gride - To scratch, scrape, or cut with a grating sound. More... scrumble - To scrape or scratch (something) out of or from. More... | |