Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, February 17, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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perpetrate
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining the Exclamation PointAn exclamation point or exclamation mark ( ! ) is a punctuation mark commonly used to express strong, intense emotions in declarations. What else can it be used to add emphasis to? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Flying TrapezeThe aerial performance art known as the flying trapeze was invented in France in 1859 by Jules Léotard, whose name became synonymous with the skintight costume in which he performed. During a performance, a "flyer" typically jumps from a high platform, using gravity to swing on the trapeze, or "fly bar." He or she may perform tricks in mid-air before being caught by a partner. Today, the popular circus act is performed above safety nets, but Léotard originally practiced above what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 First Issue of Newsweek Magazine Is Published (1933)Originally News-Week, the magazine debuted 10 years after Time, for which Newsweek founder Thomas J.C. Martyn had been an editor. It evolved into a full spectrum of news material, from breaking news and analysis to reviews and commentary. In 1961, it was purchased by Philip Graham, publisher of The Washington Post. In 2010, it was sold for $1 to American businessman Sidney Harman. Today, Newsweek is the second largest newsweekly in the US. What is the largest? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE (1930)Born in London, Rendell became an author of murder mysteries and psychological thrillers in the 1960s. She has since published dozens of award-winning novels—many featuring her Chief Inspector Wexford—and has been recognized for her sharp prose and psychological insight by both critics and audiences. Originally a journalist, Rendell was fired after writing about a society dinner she did not attend. What notable misfortune, which was absent from Rendell's article, befell the speaker of the event? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Calamities are of two kinds: misfortunes to ourselves, and good fortune to others.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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make game of (someone or something)— To ridicule, mock, or tease someone or something; to make fun of someone or something. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Quirinalia (2025)Quirinus was an ancient Roman deity who closely resembled Mars, the god of war. His name is associated with that of the Quirinal, one of the seven hills on which Rome was built. Eventually, Quirinus was identified with Romulus, one of the legendary founders of Rome, and his festival on February 17 coincided with the date on which Romulus was believed to have been deified. This festival was also associated with the advent of spring warfare, when the shields and weapons of the army, which had been purified and retired for the winter, were brought out. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: plunge | |