Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, January 23, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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apothegm
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Forming the Future Continuous TenseTo form the future continuous, we use "will be" or "is/are going to be" + the present participle of the main verb. Much of the time, either construction may be used with no appreciable difference in the meaning of the sentence. However, we sometimes use the "will be" construction for actions or events that are more certain to happen, whereas the "going to be" construction can be used to imply what? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Reverse EngineeringReverse engineering is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device through analysis of its structure, function, and operation. It often involves taking apart an electronic component, software program, or other device in order to redesign the system for better maintainability or produce a copy of a system without access to the original design. Militaries often use reverse engineering to copy other nations' technology. What are some well-known examples from WWII? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Shaanxi Earthquake: Deadliest in Recorded History (1556)The 1556 Shaanxi Earthquake in China is the deadliest earthquake on record, having killed approximately 830,000 people and destroyed an area 520 miles (837 km) wide. According to Chinese annals, mountains moved and rivers changed course due to the massive quake, which affected places more than 200 miles (322 km) from the epicenter. Aftershocks continued for months. In addition to the quake's force—its magnitude is estimated at 8.0—the high death toll is attributed to what other factors? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Édouard Manet (1832)One of the foremost French artists of the 19th century, Manet is often regarded as the father of modern painting. Rebelling against the academic tradition, he developed a realist style that was one of the founding forces of Impressionism. Although his talent is recognized today, Manet was often greeted with harsh criticism during his career, including for his paintings Le déjeuner sur l'herbe—The Luncheon on the Grass—and Olympia. Why were the paintings controversial? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Men regard it as their right to return evil for evil—and, if they cannot, feel they have lost their liberty.Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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one-up (someone)— To make a point of outdoing, outperforming, outclassing, etc., someone. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (2022)In 1908, Reverend Paul Watson proposed a week-long observance dedicated to Christian unity to be scheduled between the feasts of St. Peter's Chair (January 18) and St. Paul (January 25), the two great leaders of the first Christians. The World Council of Churches maintains these dates. Each year, an inter-denominational committee selects a scriptural theme and prepares the outlines of a worship service for each day of the Week of Prayer. Individual congregations are free to use the material as is, or vary it to suit local practices and traditions. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: shorterstore - A shortened version of the obsolete astor, "stock of provisions, supplies." More... alligator - From Spanish el lagarto, "the lizard," which may have come from Latin lacerta; the alligator has a shorter, blunter snout than a crocodile. More... telescopic umbrella - An umbrella that can become shorter. More... dog watch - A two-hour watch on board a ship, it is based on dog sleep, the light or fitful sleep typical of dogs (a catnap being even shorter). More... | |