Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, October 8, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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ostracize
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Negative Questions with Question WordsWe can use the negative with interrogative sentences that are formed with certain question words ("who," "what," "where," and "why"). To make these sentences negative, where do we add "not"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Evil EyeThe people of the world have many superstitions, but one in particular is shared by a number of cultures, especially those of the Mediterranean and Middle East: the evil eye. Traditions and beliefs surrounding the evil eye vary, but it is generally thought to stem from envy and malice toward prosperity and beauty. Thus, in many cultures, unguarded praise of one's possessions or children is thought to invite misfortune. Who is typically thought to be most vulnerable to the evil eye? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 San Marino Adopts Its Constitution (1600)Occupying just 24 sq mi (62 sq km), San Marino is the world's smallest republic and, having enacted a constitution in 1600, perhaps Europe's oldest existing republic. According to tradition, St. Marinus, a Christian stonecutter, took refuge in the 4th century on Mount Titano, and the community of San Marino was soon formed. Because of its relatively inaccessible location, it has since maintained its independence with only a few brief interruptions. Who did San Marino harbor during WWII? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Harriet Taylor Mill (1807)Harriet Taylor Mill was a philosopher and women's rights advocate who is largely remembered for the influence she had on her second husband, John Stuart Mill, one of the preeminent thinkers of the 19th century. The two met while Harriet was still married. Two years after her first husband died, Harriet and John married following a 20-year friendship. She read and commented on all of his material, and he considered her an equal collaborator. What essays did Harriet write during their marriage? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Think not, is my eleventh commandment; and sleep when you can, is my twelfth.Herman Melville (1819-1891) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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bottom of the ninth— The final and critical moment or moments of a tense, important, or desperate situation. It refers to the ninth inning of baseball, the "bottom" of which is batted by the home team as their last chance to win the game. Primarily heard in US, South Africa. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Croatia Independence Day (2024)This holiday is celebrated in Croatia to mark the day in 1991 that the Croatian Parliament voted to cut constitutional ties with Yugoslavia. The Croatians had declared their independence three months earlier, on June 25 (Croatia Statehood Day), but a three-month moratorium was placed on implementation of the decision to give European negotiators a chance to broker an agreement. Those talks failed, and Croatia proceeded with its plan for independence. Offices, businesses, and schools in Croatia are closed on Independence Day. 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... | |