Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, April 19, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using Idioms that End with PrepositionsIdioms that end with prepositions are typically phrasal verbs and consist of a verb followed by either a preposition, a particle, or a particle with a preposition. How is this type of prepositional idiom used in a sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Year without a SummerIt is now widely thought that the eruption of Indonesia's Mount Tambora—the largest in over 1,600 years—led to a widespread reduction in temperature in 1816 that destroyed crops and prompted food shortages and famine across the globe. The event became the primary motivation for western expansion in America, and the lack of horse feed inspired research into horseless travel. What novel is said to have been written by an author forced to stay inside by the unseasonable weather in July 1816? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Mae West Sentenced For Obscenity (1927)In 1926, American actress Mae West, mistress of the double entendre, began to write, produce, and star in her own Broadway plays, the first of which was the sensation-creating Sex. The notorious production did not go over well with city officials, who prosecuted West on morals charges. She served eight days of her 10-day sentence, getting off two days for good behavior. Still, the punishment did not deter her from tackling taboo subjects, as evidenced by her next play, named what? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Jayne Mansfield (1933)One of the leading sex symbols of the 1950s, Mansfield reportedly spoke five languages, played the violin, and claimed an IQ of over 150. However, the provocative image she presented to the public was carefully crafted, and she was best known for her film roles as a "blonde bombshell" and her many appearances in photographs. Her tragic death at the age of 34 in a car accident led to the mandating of underride guards on tractor-trailer trucks in the US. What well-known actress is her daughter? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 A very few—as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men—serve the state with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated as enemies by it.Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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feel like a new man/woman— To feel completely refreshed and in good health and spirits, especially after an exhausting or debilitating experience. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Venezuela Declaration of Independence Day (2025)Revolutionary struggle against Spanish rule began in Venezuela in 1810. On July 5, 1811, a group of citizens in Caracas became the first in South America to proclaim a formal declaration of independence from Spain. Forces led by Simón Bolívar assured independence in 1821. April 19 is a separate national holiday, known as Declaration of Independence Day, while July 5 is celebrated as Independence Day. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: poisonalexipharmic - Another word for an antidote, from Greek alexein, "ward off," and pharmakon, "poison." More... toxic - Comes from Greek toxikon pharmakon, "poison for arrows," from toxon, "bow." More... venom - Comes from Latin venenum, the love potion Venus used to attract people to each other—but later came to describe "poison." More... virus - A Latin word meaning "poison" or "slimy liquid," it first meant "venom of a snake." More... | |