Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, August 31, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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asthenopia
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Factitive Verbs vs. Linking VerbsLinking verbs and factitive verbs both tie a subject to another part of speech that provides more information about it. How do linking verbs differ from factitive verbs? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 André the GiantAndré “the Giant” René Roussimoff was born in France and rose to fame as a pro wrestler. His stature was the result of pituitary gigantism, a hormonal disease. Conflicting reports exist as to his actual height; estimates range from 6 ft 10 in (208 cm) to 7ft 5 in (226 cm). His weight, also under dispute, has been billed as lying anywhere between 380 lb (172 kg) and 540 lb (245 kg). André played Fezzik in the movie The Princess Bride and later inspired Billy Crystal to write what film? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Death of Diana, Princess of Wales (1997)Diana's beauty and unprecedented popularity as a member of the royal family attracted intense press attention, and she became one of the most photographed women in the world. After her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996, she remained highly visible and continued her activities on behalf of numerous charities. In 1997, she was killed in a car crash in Paris, along with her companion, Dodi al-Fayed, and their driver. Who was blamed for the accident in subsequent investigations? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Hermann von Helmholtz (1821)Helmholtz was one of the greatest scientists of the 19th century. He made fundamental contributions to physiology, optics, electrodynamics, mathematics, acoustics, and meteorology, but he is best known for formulating the mathematical law of conservation of energy. His approach was strongly empirical at a time when many scientists embraced deductions from mental concepts. He described body heat and energy, nerve conduction, and the physiology of the eye. What medical instruments did he invent? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The burning of rebellious thoughts in the little breast, of internal hatred and opposition, could not long go on without slight whiffs of external smoke, such as mark the course of subterranean fire.Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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legal eagle— An especially clever, aggressive, or skillful attorney. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Trinidad and Tobago Independence Day (2023)After being subjected to British rule since 1802, Trinidad and Tobago became an independent commonwealth state on this day in 1962. This national holiday is celebrated amid a Carnival atmosphere, with an elaborate military parade accompanied by calypsos at the Queen's Park Savannah. Religious services are varied to accommodate the Yoruba Orisha, Hindu, Muslim, Baptist, and other faiths represented in the citizenry. Later in the day, awards are presented at the National Awards Ceremony to those who have notably served their country. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: momentextemporaneous, impromptu - Extemporaneous means "prepared in advance and carried out with few or no notes," while impromptu means "totally unprepared, performed on the spur of the moment"—but this distinction has been all but lost. More... moment, momentum - Latin momentum, from movere, "move," and -mentum, is the source of moment and momentum, which first meant "moving power." More... moment of truth - A translation of a Spanish expression referring to the time of the final sword thrust in a bullfight. More... momentarily, presently - Momentarily means "in a moment"; presently means "soon" or "shortly." More... | |