Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, March 30, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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baccarat
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Relative ClausesRelative clauses (also known as adjective clauses or adjectival clauses) are dependent clauses that provide descriptive information about a noun or noun phrase. What introduces a relative clause? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 ProteusProteus is an early sea-god of Greek mythology, an old man whose responsibilities include tending to Poseidon's seals. Though he is said to have the gift of prophecy, Proteus goes to go to great lengths to avoid disclosing this knowledge and only does so if trapped. A shape-shifter, he evades capture by changing his appearance. For this reason, the adjective "protean"—meaning "versatile" or "capable of assuming many forms"—is derived from his name. Who captures Proteus in Homer's Odyssey? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Hymen Lipman Patents Pencil with Attached Eraser (1858)In prehistoric times, lumps of colored earth or chalk were used as markers. The so-called lead pencil—a rod of graphite encased in wood—first came into use in the 16th century. However, it was not until the 19th century that the eraser was added—an innovation that earned Hymen Lipman a patent in 1858. In 1862, he sold his patent to Joseph Reckendorfer for $100,000. Why did the US Supreme Court rule in 1875 that Reckendorfer's patent was invalid? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Francisco Goya (1746)Goya was a Spanish painter and printmaker whose work profoundly influenced 19th-century European art. He started out designing tapestries for the royal manufactory of Santa Bárbara and was appointed painter to Charles III in 1786. By 1799—under the patronage of Charles IV—he had become Spain's most successful and fashionable artist. Goya's works address all aspects of Spanish life, including the political and social turmoil of his day. Why did his art come under the scrutiny of the Inquisition? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The characteristic of coquettes is affectation governed by whim.Henry Fielding (1707-1754) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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broad shoulders— The ability and/or willingness to accept multiple demands and responsibilities. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Doctors' Day (2019)Since 1933 this day has been set aside to honor America's physicians. It is the anniversary of the day in 1842 on which Dr. Crawford W. Long removed a tumor from the neck of a man while the patient was anesthetized by ether. Dr. Long was the first acclaimed American physician to use ether as an anesthetic agent in a surgical procedure. The red carnation is the official flower associated with Doctors' Day. The American Medical Association promotes various activities to mark this day, including walk-a-thons and blood drives. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: modecomportment, deportment - Deportment adds the sense of action or activity to a mode of conduct or behavior; comportment, "behavior or bearing," does not have this. More... dictionary - Based on Latin dictio(n-), "mode of expression" or "word," then dictionarius, "a repertory of words or phrases." More... diet - Comes from Greek diaita, "a way of life, mode of living." More... mode - Originally a tune or air and later a scheme of sounds. More... | |