Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, April 19, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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reaper
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Predicate NounsNouns that follow linking verbs are known as "predicate nouns" (or sometimes "predicative nouns" or "predicate nominatives"). What do they serve to do? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Year without a SummerIt is now widely thought that the eruption of Indonesia's Mount Tambora—the largest in over 1,600 years—led to a widespread reduction in temperature in 1816 that destroyed crops and prompted food shortages and famine across the globe. The event became the primary motivation for western expansion in America, and the lack of horse feed inspired research into horseless travel. What novel is said to have been written by an author forced to stay inside by the unseasonable weather in July 1816? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Mae West Sentenced For Obscenity (1927)In 1926, American actress Mae West, mistress of the double entendre, began to write, produce, and star in her own Broadway plays, the first of which was the sensation-creating Sex. The notorious production did not go over well with city officials, who prosecuted West on morals charges. She served eight days of her 10-day sentence, getting off two days for good behavior. Still, the punishment did not deter her from tackling taboo subjects, as evidenced by her next play, named what? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Jayne Mansfield (1933)One of the leading sex symbols of the 1950s, Mansfield reportedly spoke five languages, played the violin, and claimed an IQ of over 150. However, the provocative image she presented to the public was carefully crafted, and she was best known for her film roles as a "blonde bombshell" and her many appearances in photographs. Her tragic death at the age of 34 in a car accident led to the mandating of underride guards on tractor-trailer trucks in the US. What well-known actress is her daughter? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 A very few—as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men—serve the state with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated as enemies by it.Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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a shiver down (one's) spine— A shudder felt down one's back, due to either fear, anticipation, nervousness, or excitement. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Primrose Day (2021)Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield, novelist, and twice prime minister of England, died on this day in 1881. When he was buried in the family vault at Hughenden Manor, near High Wycombe, Queen Victoria came to lay a wreath of primroses—thought to be his favorite flower—on his grave. Two years later, the Primrose League was formed to support the principles of Conservatism that Disraeli had championed. The organization's influence ebbed after World War I, but Primrose Day is remembered in honor of Disraeli and his contribution to the Conservative cause. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: poisonalexipharmic - Another word for an antidote, from Greek alexein, "ward off," and pharmakon, "poison." More... toxic - Comes from Greek toxikon pharmakon, "poison for arrows," from toxon, "bow." More... venom - Comes from Latin venenum, the love potion Venus used to attract people to each other—but later came to describe "poison." More... virus - A Latin word meaning "poison" or "slimy liquid," it first meant "venom of a snake." More... | |