Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, February 3, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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didactic
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using Prepositions with AdjectivesPrepositions can sometimes appear after adjectives to complete or elaborate on the ideas or emotions the adjective describes. Prepositions used in this way are known as "adjective complements." In such sentences, where is the preposition always positioned in relation to the adjective? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 FilibustersA filibuster is an obstructionist tactic used in legislative assemblies. It is particularly associated with the US Senate, where the tradition of unlimited debate is strong, and it has been used by conservatives and liberals for very different purposes. It was not until 1917 that the Senate provided for cloture—or ending of the debate—by a vote of two-thirds of the Senators present. Yet, despite many attempts, cloture has been applied only rarely. What is the etymology of the term "filibuster"? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 15th Amendment to the US Constitution Ratified (1870)Ratified during the post-Civil War Reconstruction Period, the 15th Amendment to the US Constitution was intended primarily to enfranchise former slaves. It states: "The right of citizens…to vote shall not be denied or abridged…on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Though the amendment's purpose was not fully achieved until 1965, the first African American to exercise this right did so the day after the amendment was ratified by participating in what election? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Hugo Junkers (1859)Junkers was a pioneering German engineer who held many patents for his original developments in the fields of gas engine and aircraft design. He had innovative ideas about metal airplanes and flying wings, and he put them to the test—somewhat ironically, as he was purportedly a pacifist—developing warplanes for World War I. In the lead-up to World War II, the Nazis stripped Junkers of control of his company and sentenced him to house arrest. He died soon after. What was the "Sheetmetal Donkey"? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Success comes to a writer, as a rule, so gradually that it is always something of a shock to him to look back and realize the heights to which he has climbed.P. G. Wodehouse (1881-1975) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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against the collar— Difficult, exhausting, or problematic. The phrase originates from the collar on a horse's harness, which tightens on the horse's neck when it travels uphill. Primarily heard in UK. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Blaise's Day (2023)The association of St. Blaise with the blessing of throats can be traced to a number of sources. In any case, St. Blaise, since the 6th century in the East, has been the patron saint of people who suffer from throat afflictions, and celebrations on this day in the Roman Catholic Church often include the blessing of throats by the priest. In Spain, they bake small loaves, called tortas de San Blas ("San Blas's loaves"). They are blessed during Mass, and each child eats a bit to prevent him or her from choking during the year. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: proofevidence, proof - Evidence—from Latin e-, "out," and videre, "to see"— is information that helps form a conclusion; proof is factual information that verifies a conclusion. More... proof in the pudding - A shortening of the saying "the proof of the pudding is in the eating," i.e. a thing is tested by putting it to its intended use. More... proof - The strength of alcohol. More... adduce - To cite as an instance or as proof or evidence. More... | |