Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, August 9, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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panegyric
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Prepositions that Describe PerformanceWhen we describe how well someone does something, we often use the verb phrase "is good" followed by the preposition "at." However, if we use the verb phrase "does well," what preposition do we use? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Lake VostokHundreds of subglacial lakes are hidden under the surface of Antarctica, and Lake Vostok is the largest. Located beneath some 13,000 ft (4,000 m) of ice, Lake Vostok's pristine waters have been sealed off for perhaps more than a million years and may be home to life forms unknown to science. Researchers have spent years trying to drill through the ice to retrieve water samples despite concerns they might contaminate the lake in the process. In May 2005, what was found in the center of the lake? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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.jpg) Nathan Ames Patents His "Revolving Stairs," Now Known as the Escalator (1859)Although no working model of his design was ever built, Ames is credited with patenting the first escalator. His idea for the "revolving stairs" was largely speculative. It was not until the 1890s that the first working escalator—called the "inclined elevator"—was produced, based on another's designs. It was installed among the amusements at New York's Coney Island but did not remain a novelty for long. How did shoppers react when Harrods in London debuted its first escalator in 1898? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Izaak Walton (1593)A friend and fishing companion of John Donne, Walton wrote one of the most famous and frequently reprinted books in the English language, The Compleat Angler; or, the Contemplative Man's Recreation. The book not only describes the strategies and techniques of fishing, it also draws a picture of peace and simple virtue that was Walton's protest against the civil wars taking place at the time. Though the book was first published in 1653, Walton continued to add to it—for how long? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Being poor is a mere trifle. It is being known to be poor that is the sting.Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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put (one's/someone's) back up— To be or become angry, hostile, defensive, defiant, or irritable, or to instill such a feeling in someone else. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Meyboom (2025)One of the oldest folk traditions in Belgium, Meyboom is an amalgamation of Belgian folklore, patron-saint celebration, and traditional neighborhood rivalry. The event is marked with a procession of giant puppets and the planting of a meyboom (may tree) on the corner of Rue des Sables and Rue du Marais in Brussels. Before the planting, a procession of trumpeters and costumed giants accompanies the tree from the Place des Sablons to its final destination. According to custom, if the meyboom is not planted by 5:00 p.m., the city's good fortune will go to the people of Leuven. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: headachecephalgia, encephalalgia - Cephalgia and encephalalgia are medical terms for a headache. More... megrim - Another word for a headache, especially a migraine. More... shivaree - A mock serenade, it originally meant "headache" in its Latin form. More... neurasthenia - A disorder characterized by loss of energy, lack of motivation, and feelings of inadequacy, along with vague physical symptoms such as headache or muscle pain. More... | |