Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, July 29, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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marque
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Prepositions in IdiomsMany prepositions can be used with certain words or phrases to form idioms. These prepositional idioms typically begin or end with a preposition. How can prepositional idioms function in a sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 BacchanaliaNow a term used to describe any drunken revelry, bacchanalia were wild festivals honoring the Greco-Roman god of wine, Bacchus. Introduced around 200 BCE, bacchanalia were originally held in secret 3 times a year and attended only by women. Later, admission was opened to men and celebrations became as frequent as 5 times a month. The notoriety of the festivals led to a Senate decree in 186 BCE prohibiting them except in the event of special approval. What happened to those who defied the decree? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The International Atomic Energy Agency Is Established (1957)In 1953, during the Cold War, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed the creation of an international body to regulate the use of nuclear power in his "Atoms for Peace" address to the United Nations General Assembly. Four years later, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was established to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The IAEA may purchase and sell fissionable materials, and it inspects for compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Is the IAEA part of the UN? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Dag Hammarskjöld (1905)The only person to be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize posthumously, Hammarskjöld was the second Secretary General of the United Nations. In this role, he greatly extended the influence of the United Nations and personally led peace missions, though he clashed with the Soviet Union for his vigorous attempts to diffuse civil strife in the newly independent Congo. He served as Secretary General until his death in a mysterious plane crash in 1961. What conspiracy theories surround his death? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 There is no recollection which time does not put an end to, and no pain which death does not remove.Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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lose (one's) bearings— To lose sight of or become unable to determine one's orientation, position, or abilities relative to one's surroundings or situation. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Coffin Fiesta of St. Martha (2021)St. Martha was the sister of Mary and Lazarus who pleaded with Jesus to bring her brother back to life. Jesus did so, and folk beliefs often assign her the power of granting miraculous cures. In San Xosé de Ribarteme, in the province of Pontevedra in Galicia, Spain, ofrecidos—people who have made a vow to St. Martha—lie in open coffins during a procession on St. Martha's feast day. Usually, they or a member of their family has recently been cured by St. Martha's intervention. Most wear coarse net tunics called mortajas (shrouds) to indicate that they represent the "living dead." More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: shoespumps - The shoes are so named for the sound they make. More... revamp - Originally referred to shoes—vamp being the covering of the instep. More... Brannock device - The device used to measure feet for shoes. More... be down on your uppers - To be down on your uppers (referring to shoes) is to be scuffing along, in poor circumstances. More... | |