Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, December 1, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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chef-d'oeuvre
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Positioning Adverbs of TimeAdverbs of time tell us at what time (when) or for how long (duration) something happens or is the case. Adverbs of time are most often placed at the end of a sentence. Why do we sometimes place them at the beginning of the sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 TheobromineClosely related to caffeine, theobromine is a toxic alkaloid found in cocoa, chocolate products, tea, and cola nuts. Also known as xantheose, it is bitter and colorless and acts as a diuretic, vasodilator, cardiac stimulant, and smooth muscle relaxant. Despite its name, the compound contains no bromine—a corrosive, toxic liquid element. Rather, its name is derived from the genus of the cacao tree, Theobroma, which is made up of the Greek roots theo and broma and means what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Portuguese Restoration War Begins (1640)Following the death of Henry, the cardinal-king of Portugal, in 1580, Philip II of Spain assumed control of Portugal by force of arms. The "Spanish captivity" lasted for 60 years. Finally, in 1640, the Portuguese took advantage of Philip IV's preoccupation with a rebellion in Catalonia and revolted. The Portuguese dethroned him and reclaimed independence for Portugal. Undeterred, Philip fought for decades to regain control of Portugal. When did Spain finally recognize Portugal's independence? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Louis Allen "Lou" Rawls (1933)Rawls was an American soul, jazz, and blues singer known for his smooth vocal style. He began singing in his church choir at the age of seven and later sang with local Chicago groups. Though he was pronounced dead after a severe car accident in 1958 that left him in a coma for several days, he recovered and went on to enjoy a successful career, winning multiple Grammy Awards and selling more than 40 million records. Who once credited Rawls with having the "silkiest chops in the singing game"? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 In time we hate that which we often fear.William Shakespeare (1564-1616) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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admit defeat— To yield to the opposition or accept that one is wrong in some pursuit. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Advent (Germany) (2019)Many German households observe Advent with an Advent wreath. Traditionally fashioned from a fir branch entwined with gold and silver ribbons or bits of red thread, the wreaths also contain holders for four candles. German families display the wreath on a tabletop or suspend it from the ceiling. One candle is lit on each of the Sundays in Advent. Many German households light a "Star of Seven," a seven-branched candelabrum, on Christmas Eve, and at midnight carry the lit "star" though the dark to the village church for the Christmas Eve service. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: manufacturebar code - Includes code terms for the country of manufacture, the manufacturer, and the type of product—a combination specific enough to ordinarily identify any product. More... arsenal - From Arabic dar al sindah, meaning "workshop for art, manufacture," it was originally used in English to mean "naval dock" or workshops for making ships and arms. More... forge - Comes from Latin fabrica, "trade, workshop" or "fabric," and it first meant "smithy" or "manufacture." More... light industry - The manufacture of small or light articles. More... | |