Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, April 4, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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caper
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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[sic]When a quotation contains a mistake, such as a spelling mistake or grammatical error, but we wish to preserve the quotation exactly as it was written, we can mark it with the word "sic" (Latin for "thus" or "so") in brackets to let the reader know that the error was not our own. When should this generally be used? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Makeup: From Kohl to CosmeceuticalsCosmetics have been used for millennia to simulate or enhance the appearance of youthfulness, health, and beauty—eye makeup and scented creams were used by the ancient Egyptians as early as the 4th millennium BCE—but they have not always been viewed favorably. In the 19th century, for example, Queen Victoria publicly declared the use of makeup by anyone other than actors to be improper and vulgar. Today, however, the cosmetics industry is thriving. How much is spent on cosmetics each year? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 William Henry Harrison Dies of Pneumonia (1841)When at age 68 Harrison became the 9th president of the US, he was the oldest man yet to step into that role. Despite his age, he paid little heed to the cold, wet weather on the day of his inauguration and proceeded to deliver the longest inaugural speech in US history—without hat or overcoat. Pneumonia claimed his life a month later, making him the first American president to die in office and making his presidency the briefest ever. According to legend, he was the first victim of what curse? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Maya Angelou (1928)Angelou is an African-American writer and performer and the author of several volumes of poetry. Her seven autobiographical volumes, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, recount her traumatic youth and explore themes of economic, racial, and sexual oppression. In 1993, she was given the honor of reciting her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at Bill Clinton's presidential inauguration. Angelou was not always so vocal; she endured several years of mutism in childhood. What triggered it? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The ultimate in disposing one's troops is to be without ascertainable shape. Then the most penetrating spies cannot pry in nor can the wise lay plans against you.Sun Tzu (544 BC-496 BC) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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be smashed to smithereens— To be broken apart or otherwise destroyed into tiny, fragmentary pieces. "Smithereens," first appearing in English in 1829 as "smiddereens," is likely derived from the Irish word "smidirín" or "smidiríní," meaning "fragment." More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Senegal Independence Day (2022)For many years, Senegal was controlled by various European powers, and France gradually began gaining control over the area in the 17th century. On April 4, 1960, Senegal won its independence from France. Today, April 4 is a national holiday celebrated all over the country, but festivities are particularly grand in the capital city of Dakar. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: inkatrament - A synonym for ink. More... calamari - The term for Deep-fried squid comes from Latin calamarius, meaning "pen case"—because of its long tapering shell and its ink; it is also spelled calamary. More... ink - First spelled inke and enke—from Greek enkauston, the purple ink used by Roman emperors. More... | |