Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, May 6, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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witticism
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Examples of PrepositionsPrepositions are used to express the relationship of a noun or pronoun (or another grammatical element functioning as a noun) to the rest of the sentence. The noun or pronoun that is connected by the preposition is known as the "object of the preposition." What are some common prepositions? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 AeolipileInvented in the first century by Greek mathematician Hero of Alexandria, the Hero engine, or aeolipile, is a steam-powered device that illustrates the reactive forces of a gas jet. It usually consists of a mounted spherical vessel equipped with angled nozzles that release steam in opposite directions, causing rotational movement. The world's first steam engine, Hero’s aeolipile was a forerunner of the modern jet engine. Its name derives from a term meaning "ball of Aeolus." Who was Aeolus? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Hindenburg Disaster (1937)Launched in 1936 in Germany, the Hindenburg was the largest rigid airship ever constructed and was promoted by the Nazis as a symbol of national pride. It started the first commercial air service across the North Atlantic and made several trips to the Americas. On one such trip, the hydrogen-filled airship violently and unexpectedly exploded in flames and crashed in New Jersey, killing 35 of the 97 people on board. What non-flammable gas was originally supposed to provide the airship's lift? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Moshe Feldenkrais (1904)Feldenkrais was a Russian-born Israeli physicist and engineer who was also an avid soccer player and a judo master. Motivated by a debilitating knee injury of his own, Feldenkrais developed a system to improve body movement and function and reduce pain by increasing self-awareness and re-educating the neuromuscular system. Since its introduction in the 1950s, the Feldenkrais method has gradually gained acceptance. Which statesman did Feldenkrais allegedly teach to stand on his head? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation, but they should have the equal right to develop their talent and their ability and their motivation, to make something of themselves.John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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not a moment too soon— At the last possible moment before it is too late; just in the nick of time. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Hidrellez Festival (2025)The Hidrellez Festival is observed in Turkey every May 6. It is marked as the day that two prophets, Hizir and Ilyas, met each other on Earth; the word Hidrellez is a fusing of the two names. The festival is a joyous celebration of the coming of spring. People prepare for Hidrellez by thoroughly cleaning their homes; they also purchase fresh new clothes to wear for the Hidrellez Festival, and prepare special food, such as fresh lamb or lamb's liver. On Hidrellez night, people leave purses and pantries open and put out food bowls, in the belief that Hizir will bring abundance to the homes he visits. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: subtlesubingression - A subtle or unseen entrance. More... ethereal - First meant "resembling the ether or lightest and most subtle of elements," and now means that something is impalpable or unearthly. More... hard sell, soft sell - Hard sell implies an aggressive approach toward a potential buyer; a soft sell is a more subtle, suggestive approach. More... subtle - Its ultimate source is Latin subtilis, "finely woven," a weaving term, from sub tela, "beneath the lengthwise threads of a loom." More... | |