Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, June 22, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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VoiceVoice, also known as diathesis, is a grammatical feature that describes the relationship between the verb and the subject (also called the agent) in a sentence. What are the two main types of voice? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 AK-47sDesigned by Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1947, the AK-47 is an assault rifle that was used in most Eastern bloc countries during the Cold War. Due to its durability and ease of use, it remains the most widely used assault rifle in the world. Although only one factory holds the patent, nearly one million AK-47s are manufactured illegally each year, and many are smuggled and sold to governments, rebels, criminals, and civilians. An AK-47 appears on what country's flag and coat of arms? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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_William_Frederick_Mitchell.jpg) HMS Victoria Accidentally Rammed and Sunk (1893)The HMS Victoria was a Royal Navy battleship that collided with another Royal Navy battleship, the HMS Camperdown, near Tripoli, Lebanon, during maneuvers. The Victoria capsized and quickly sank, killing 358 crew members, including the commander of the British Mediterranean Fleet, Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon. In 2004, after a decade-long search, a Lebanese diver located the wreckage in 492 ft (150 m) of water. What is unusual about the orientation of the wreck? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Paul Morphy (1837)Morphy was an American chess player widely considered to have been the world's greatest. He earned a law degree at 18 but was ineligible to practice until 21, so he turned to chess to pass the time. He won the American championship and then beat the European masters, making a name for himself as the unofficial world chess champion. After failing to set up a law practice, he went into seclusion and retired from competitive play. How many opponents could he play simultaneously while blindfolded? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 To retire is not to flee, and there is no wisdom in waiting when danger outweighs hope, and it is the part of wise men to preserve themselves to-day for to-morrow, and not risk all in one day.Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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a man/woman of the people— A person who represents, understands, is in touch with, and is well liked by ordinary, everyday people. Often said of politicians or those who occupy positions of power, authority, or fame beyond that of the average person. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Lajkonik (2017)The most popular folk festival in Kraków, Poland, Lajkonik is believed to commemorate the horseman who carried the news of the Tartar defeat during the 13th-century Tartar invasions. A bearded horseman in oriental costume riding a richly draped wooden hobby-horse—the Lajkonik—collects money from the crowds lining the streets, tapping each donor with his rod to bring them good luck. Eventually he ends up in the market square, where he dances for the assembled dignitaries and receives from them a sack of money and a glass of wine, which he consumes after toasting the well-being of the city. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: shouthue and cry - Somewhat redundant, as hue means "shout, make an outcry"; hue and cry was a medieval law requiring that all citizens within earshot give chase to a fleeing criminal. More... jubilate - From a Latin word meaning "shout for joy." More... slogan - From Scottish-Gaelic slaugh, "army," and gairm, "shout"—since the first slogans were actually battle cries. More... claim - The etymological notion behind claim is "calling out," from Latin clamare, "cry out, shout." More... | |