Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, January 25, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using Idioms that Start with PrepositionsMost idioms that start with prepositions are prepositional phrases and consist of a preposition followed by a noun or noun phrase. How can this type of prepositional idiom be used in a sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 ValkyriesIn Norse mythology, the valkyries are maidens sent by Odin to select worthy warriors slain in battle. Valkyries, whose name is derived from an Old Norse word meaning "choosers of the slain," are said to have the power to cause the death of warriors they dislike or guard the lives of those they favor. According to various myths, they are either deities or mortals with supernatural powers. Where do the valkyries bring the warriors they deem worthy? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 First Emmy Awards for Excellence in Television (1949)The Emmy Awards are given for outstanding achievement in US television. They are presented by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which was founded in 1946 and which held the first award ceremony in 1949. Its members vote on outstanding programs, actors, directors, and writers in such categories as drama, comedy, and variety. The Emmy's name is taken from the nickname "immy" for the image orthicon, a television camera tube. Who won the very first Emmy? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Govert Teuniszoon Flinck (1615)A student of Rembrandt, Flinck was a Dutch painter who is remembered mainly for his numerous portraits, many of which are held in the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam. Among his most famous works is the Blessing of Jacob, one of his many religious subjects. However, Flinck was also known for painting scenes from history, such as the Peace of Münster, which illustrates the famous treaty with 19 life-size figures. Flinck even painted his own likeness in the canvas. Where is it? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 If a man's character is to be abused ... there's nobody like a relation to do the business.William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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low man on the ladder— The person (not necessarily male) with the least amount of experience, authority, and/or influence in a social or corporate hierarchy. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Festival of the Cow (2025)The Fiesta de la Vaca takes place in the village of San Pablo de los Montes, in the Spanish province of Toledo, on St. Paul's Day. While the religious procession and mass for the feast of San Pablo are going on, a group of young men form a counter-procession in the opposite direction. One of them plays the role of the cow, La Vaca, while another is dressed as Mother Sow, Madre Cochina. A third is dressed as a shepherd, and there are others ringing cow bells. Every time the group passes the image of the saint, they call out, "Here goes the cow!" More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: swordsheath - Seems to have first been a split stick that a sword could be inserted into. More... spades - As a suit in a deck of cards, it has nothing to do with spades as tools, but comes from Spanish espada, "sword." More... spay - A shortening of a French word espeer, meaning "cut with a sword." More... gladiator, gladiate - The main Latin word for sword was gladius, from which came gladiator; gladiate is an adjective meaning sword-shaped. More... | |