Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, January 29, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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callow
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Adverbs and Degrees of StrengthAdverbs of degree can be mild, medium, strong, or absolute in how they describe the intensity, degree, or extent of the word they modify. Adverbs that are mild, medium, or strong are known as what? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Sanctuary LampsIn Christianity, a sanctuary lamp is a flame or lamp, usually red, placed in a prominent position in the sanctuary of a church. When lit, it indicates the presence of the Blessed Sacrament—the consecrated elements of the Eucharist. In Judaism, the sanctuary lamp is known by its Hebrew name, ner tamid, which means "eternal light" or "eternal flame." In a synagogue or temple, the ner tamid hangs above the ark containing the Torah scrolls and is never allowed to go out. How is this achieved? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Queen Victoria Creates the Victoria Cross (1856)Queen Victoria created the Victoria Cross—the highest British military award for valor—on January 29, 1856, in the late stages of the Crimean War. The impetus for a new medal arose during the war—one of the first with modern reporting—as correspondents documented many acts of bravery by British servicemen that went unrewarded. Thus, Victoria instituted her eponymous award for acts of devotion and valor in the presence of the enemy. From what was the Victoria Cross originally made? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 William Claude Dukenfield, AKA W. C. Fields (1880)An archetypal American comedian, Fields started out as a vaudeville juggler. With his inimitable raspy voice completing his characterization of a habitually tipsy misanthrope, he became a major star in talking films and radio. His real-life personality was quite similar—he was an inveterate drinker who deeply distrusted most established institutions and even went so far as to keep his money in savings accounts in scores of banks, under fictitious names. What did he call alcohol while on set? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 It is the power of thought which gives man the mastery over nature.Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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out of humour— In an irritable, grouchy, or unhappy mood; not feeling well or in good spirits. Primarily heard in UK. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Thomas Paine Day (2022)Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was a propagandist and humanitarian whose influential pamphlet, Common Sense, is credited with persuading the American colonies to declare their independence from Great Britain. On January 29, Paine's birthday, he is honored by members of the Thomas Paine National Historical Association in New Rochelle, New York. They lay a wreath at his monument in the Thomas Paine Memorial Museum, which houses some of his letters and personal effects. The cottage in which Paine lived is only a short walk away. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: materialstaboret - An artist's multi-drawer cabinet table for tools and materials. More... compendium - Latin for "that which is weighed together," it is a complete summary or abridgment or a concise collection of materials—not an all-encompassing or comprehensive work (plural is compendiums or compendia). More... hygroscopic - Describing the ability or tendency of a material to take up moisture readily from the surrounding air or other moist materials. More... molecular gastronomy - The study and application of chemistry, physics, and other scientific principles on cooking processes, preparation, and materials. More... | |