Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, February 14, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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repugnance
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Past Continuous TenseAlso called the past progressive, the past continuous tense is used to describe something that was in progress at a certain moment in the past. Why is it called the past continuous? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Zzyzx: English's Last WordZzyzx is a settlement in San Bernardino County, California. The name was given to the area in 1944 by American radio evangelist Curtis Howe Springer, who claimed it was the last word in the English language. He established the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa on the plot, which was actually federal land that he had not received permission to use. In 1974, he was arrested for misusing the land, and the government seized the property. Who oversees the area today? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Israeli Knesset Convenes for the First Time (1949)In May 1948, following a failed attempt by the UN to divide Palestine, which had been under British mandate, the new nation of Israel proclaimed its independence. The first legislative assembly, or Knesset, convened in February 1949. It succeeded the Assembly of Representatives that had functioned as the Jewish community's parliament during the Mandate era. Although the 120 legislators of the Knesset are elected every four years, the average lifespan of a Knesset is about two years. Why? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Renée Fleming (1959)Fleming is an American soprano who specializes in opera and lieder, a type of German art song intended for soloists. The daughter of two music teachers, Fleming graduated from SUNY Potsdam in 1981 with a degree in music education and went on to study at Eastman School of Music and Juilliard. Her professional debut was in Austria in 1986. She has won numerous awards for her roles in opera and for the classical music she has recorded. What did Fleming do to pay for her studies at Juilliard? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 He would always feel for her that impersonal admiration which is inspired by anything very large, like the Empire State Building or the Grand Canyon of Arizona.P. G. Wodehouse (1881-1975) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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guilt complex— A very strong and persistent feeling of guilt regarding something or some event. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Vinegrower's Day (2018)This pre-harvest vineyard festival in Bulgaria involves pruning the vines and sprinkling them with wine. Ritual songs and dances are performed in hopes of a plentiful grape harvest. In some areas, a "Vine King" is crowned with a wreath of twigs from the vineyards. Everyone treats him with great respect, for it is believed that fertility depends on the King's happiness. Visits to well-known Bulgarian vineyards are organized, the vines are pruned, and guests are given an opportunity to sample the local wine and foods. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: trousersfob - A small pocket close to the waistband of trousers. More... galluses - Another name for suspenders for trousers. More... plus fours - Got their name (c. 1920) from the fact that such trousers were made four inches longer than standard knickerbockers or shorts, which came to just above the knee. More... trousers, trouse - The singular of trousers is trouse. More... | |