Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, April 27, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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exothermic
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Idioms that End with PrepositionsIdioms that end with prepositions are typically phrasal verbs. They consist of a verb followed by what? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Storm ChasingBroadly defined as the pursuit of any severe weather condition, storm chasing is an endeavor with motives ranging from thrill-seeking to serious scientific research. Although witnessing a tornado is the primary goal for most storm chasers, many enjoy watching thunderstorms, hail, lightning, and other meteorological events as well. Storm chasers are most active in May and June in the American Great Plains region. Who is generally considered the first storm chaser? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Steamboat Sultana Sinks (1865)The steamboat Sultana was a Mississippi River paddle-wheeler destroyed when one of its boilers exploded near Memphis, Tennessee. The greatest maritime disaster in US history, an estimated 1,800 of its 2,400 passengers, many of whom were Union soldiers who had just been released from Confederate prison camps, were killed when it sank. Bodies of the victims continued to be found downriver for months, yet the disaster received somewhat diminished attention since it occurred soon after what? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Herbert Spencer (1820)Admired by some and loathed by others, Spencer was one of the most discussed Victorian thinkers. An English sociologist and philosopher, he was an advocate of the theory of social Darwinism. In his vast, multi-volume System of Synthetic Philosophy, he held that the physical, organic, and social realms are interconnected and develop according to identical evolutionary principles. To describe his theory of sociocultural evolution, he coined what well-known phrase? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 To be blind is not miserable; not to be able to bear blindness, that is miserable.John Milton (1608-1674) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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final cut— The completed and finalized edited version of a film, as authorized by its director and producer. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Seville Fair (Feria de Abril) (2023)Over the past century, the Seville Fair, also known as the April Fair, has developed into one of Spain's major spectacles. Originally a market for livestock, the fair with its multi-colored tents, wreaths, and paper lanterns now transforms the city of Seville. The singing, dancing, and drinking go on for a week, and a sense of joyousness pervades the city. The week's activities include a parade of riders and a number of bullfights held in the Plaza de la Maestranza—now considered the "cathedral" of bullfighting. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: hoodapartheid - From Dutch apart, "separate," and -heid, "-hood," it is pronounced uh-PAHR-tayt or uh-PAHR-tight. More... chaperone, chaperon - Chaperone comes from French chaperon, meaning "hood" or "cowl, head covering," which was worn from the 16th century by ladies who served as guides and guardians; chaperon is the standard spelling and chaperone is a variant resulting from pronunciation. More... cobra - From Portuguese cobra de capello, "snake with hood"—based on Latin colubra, "snake." More... hood - Etymologically, hood and hat are the same word, ultimately both meaning "head-covering." More... | |