Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, June 4, 2025)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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pedagogue
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Infinitives vs. Base Forms (Bare Infinitives)The base form of a verb is simply the infinitive without the particle "to"—like an infinitive, it is uninflected for tense and person. Because of this similarity, the base form of a verb is often known as a bare infinitive. However, infinitives and base-form verbs function differently—in what ways? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Unusual Deaths throughout HistoryThroughout history, myriad unfortunate individuals have suffered unusual deaths in all manner of bizarre circumstances. In 458 BCE, Greek playwright Aeschylus was allegedly killed when an eagle dropped a tortoise on his head. In 1771, Swedish King Adolf Frederick reportedly "ate himself to death." Distinguished as the only jockey to posthumously win a race, Frank Hayes died astride his horse before being carried over the finish line in 1923. What are some other bizarre deaths? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Jonathan Pollard Pleads Guilty to Espionage Charges (1986)After leaving graduate school in 1979, Pollard immediately began applying for intelligence positions, and landed one at the US Naval Investigative Service (NIS). In 1985, after he had attained a high level of clearance, coworkers noticed that he was accessing a huge number of documents for seemingly no reason. He was arrested and, the following year, pled guilty to selling secrets to Israel. He was sentenced to life in prison. What early clues nearly derailed his career before it started? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 François Quesnay (1694)While serving as consulting physician to Louis XV at Versailles, Quesnay developed an interest in economics. In his 1758 Tableau économique, he described the relationship between the different economic classes of society and the flow of payments among them, and he developed the concept of economic balance used by many later economic analysts. An advocate of laissez-faire economics, he believed that all wealth originated with the land. What school of economics is he credited with founding? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Too often we...enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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a modest proposal— An extreme, unorthodox, and often provocative or distasteful remedy to a complex problem, generally suggested humorously or satirically. (An allusion to Jonathan Swift's 1729 essay A Modest Proposal, in which he suggests that the poor of Ireland could alleviate their woes by selling their children as food.) More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Tonga Emancipation Day (2025)June 4 is a national holiday in the Kingdom of Tonga, celebrating its full independence from Britain. On June 4, 1863, King George Tupuo I abolished the system of serfdom in the island nation of Tonga. The historic occasion is remembered on Emancipation Day, which is celebrated just after the conclusion of the annual three-day Ha'apai Festival. The Ha'apai Festival begins on Tonga's outer islands and ends on Lifuka Island on June 4th. Both the festival and Emancipation Day are marked with feasts and dancing. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: mirrorcheval glass - A tall mirror swung on an upright frame that takes its name from French cheval, "horse"—a synonym for "supporting framework," which describes this mirror. More... catoptric - Means pertaining to a mirror, reflection, or reflector. More... mirage - From French se mirer, "be reflected," from Latin mirare, "look at"—the same root used in mirror. More... heliography - Using a mirror to send a signal. More... | |