Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, August 12, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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erudition
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using Brackets for ClarificationThe most common use of brackets is to enclose information that clarifies or explains an ambiguous element in a quoted sentence. We can also use brackets to replace a word so the quotation fits with the natural flow of the sentence. Why must we use brackets, and not parentheses, to do this? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Posie RingsPosie rings—also known as poesy or posy rings—were tokens of love in England made popular in Medieval times. Sometimes worn as wedding rings, they were engraved with short, often rhyming expressions of love, friendship, or fidelity. Thousands of French and English posie-ring sayings have been recorded over the years, including "in thee my choyce I do rejoice," "God above increase our love," and "let this present my good intent." What other sentimental inscriptions are found on surviving rings? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Isaac Singer Granted Patent for Sewing Machine (1851)Before the advent of the sewing machine, sewing was a laborious task. Singer's 1851 sewing machine patent made him a very rich man. Several other people laid claim to having invented the sewing machine, notably Elias Howe, who won a lawsuit against Singer for infringement. Nevertheless, Singer's company was already well established and was able to pool its patents with other claimants to avoid litigation. At times, Singer used alternate names to accomplish what scandalous feat? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Ross and Norris McWhirter (1925)In 1954, a few years after identical twins Norris and Ross McWhirter founded a London fact-finding agency, they met a director of the Guinness brewing company, Sir Hugh Beaver, who commissioned a compilation of world records that was intended to settle bar-room disputes. The first edition of the McWhirters' Guinness Book of Records was given to bars for free as a marketing gimmick, but the book quickly became a phenomenal success. In 1975, Ross was assassinated. Why? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The sky was clear—remarkably clear—and the twinkling of all the stars seemed to be but throbs of one body, timed by a common pulse.Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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by hell or high water— By any means necessary; regardless of any difficulty, problem, or obstacle. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Santa Fe Opera Festival (2020)The internationally acclaimed Santa Fe Opera Festival began in 1957 and survived the burning of the opera house in 1967. It is now staged in an open-air opera "house" atop a mesa outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Gala Opening Celebration includes an Opera Ball to benefit apprentice programs for young artists, and, on opening night, a festive reception, tailgate parties (with tablecloths and caviar and people in formal dress) and, after the performance, waltzing for the entire audience. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: poorcacography - Bad handwriting or poor spelling. More... illegible, unreadable - Illegible refers to bad handwriting, while unreadable refers to poor writing. More... heterography, inorthography - Incorrect or poor spelling is heterography or inorthography. More... | |