Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, September 1, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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speculative
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Regular and Irregular InflectionInflection, the way we change a word's form to reflect things like tense, plurality, gender, etc., is usually governed by consistent, predictable rules. This is known as "regular inflection." However, there are many instances in which the way a word is inflected doesn't seem to follow any rules or conventions at all—this is known as "irregular inflection." What part of speech is most commonly affected by irregular inflection? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 BrigandineA brigandine is a lightweight, flexible piece of body armor consisting of a coat of mail or small metal plates sewn into quilted cloth or leather. The rivets that secure the plates to the fabric are visible on the exterior of the garment. The brigandine was invented in the Middle Ages and derives its name from foot soldiers, then known as brigands. Though brigandine-like armor was rendered obsolete in Europe in the 1600s, it was still considered useful to colonists in the New World. Why? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Germany Invades Poland (1939)After staging Polish attacks on German forces to create the appearance of Polish aggression, Germany invaded Poland, beginning WWII. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later, and all the members of the Commonwealth of Nations, with the exception of Ireland, rapidly followed suit. The German blitzkrieg crushed the Polish defenses. Within a month all of Poland was occupied by German forces as well as the forces of what state with whom Germany had just signed a non-aggression pact? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Rocky Marciano (1923)Marciano turned to professional boxing in 1947, after failing to become a professional baseball player. On his climb to the heavyweight title, he became the second boxer ever to knock out Joe Louis. He won the title in 1952 and defended it 6 times before retiring. The only heavyweight champion with a perfect professional record, he was undefeated in 49 fights—43 won by knockout. A test of the force of his punch found that it carried enough energy to lift how much weight one foot off the ground? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Here, sir, the people govern; here they act by their immediate representatives.Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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a legend in (one's) own lifetime— A person who has an extraordinary level of fame or reputation while he or she is still alive. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Ksamavani (2020)Jainism, a religion that originated in ancient India, advocates peaceful coexistence. Forgiveness is thus regarded as a sacred act and is foundational to spiritual health. In the spirit similar to that of Paryushana, a better known Jain festival, Ksamavani invites believers to ask for and receive forgiveness. Every member of the Jain community approaches family members, neighbors, colleagues, and co-workers and asks them for forgiveness for harms done, irrespective of their social standing. The ritual is intended to help repair severed ties and relations. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: threatboast - First meant "threaten" or "threat." More... gunboat diplomacy - Foreign policy carried out with the backing of the threat or use of military force. More... ostrichism - Self-delusion, a refusal to cope with something, such as a threat—figuratively hiding one's head in the sand, as the animal is mistakenly thought to do. More... | |