Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, August 23, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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suppliant
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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ConversionWhen we use a verb or adjective as a noun without changing its spelling in any way, it is called "conversion" or "zero derivation." Conversion is especially common with what part of speech? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Stede Bonnet: The Gentleman PirateIn 1717, a moderately wealthy landowner named Stede Bonnet decided to abandoned his wife and children and become a pirate, even though he had no prior sailing experience. He bought a 60-ton sloop that he named Revenge, outfitted it with 10 guns, and proceeded to capture and plunder vessels along the American coast. After about a year and a half of piracy, during which time he partnered with Blackbeard, he was captured and hanged. Why did Bonnet suddenly decide to become a pirate? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Sacco and Vanzetti Are Executed (1927)The 1920 armed robbery and murder trial of the young Italian immigrants Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti was one of the most controversial in US history. Though some believed the verdict was just, others argued that the two men were innocent and were only found guilty because they were immigrants and political radicals. Their defenders waged a fierce legal and public relations battle to save the men's lives, but they were executed in 1927. What declaration about the verdict was made in 1977? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Gene Kelly (1912)Kelly was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and movie director. After training at his mother's dance school in Pittsburgh, he moved to New York in 1938 and danced in Broadway musicals. His athletic style later became a hallmark of the movie musical. His most famous performance came in Singin' in the Rain, which he also helped choreograph and direct. His achievements earned him a special Academy Award in 1952. With what animated character did Kelly dance in Anchors Aweigh? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Self-righteousness is not religion. To attack the first is not to assail the last.Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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bare (one's) teeth— To display an angry, violent, and/or threatening reaction to or against something or someone, as does a dog or wolf when threatened. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Moreška Sword Dance (2018)The Moreška Sword Dance is a ritual dance of medieval knights that has been performed for centuries. The dance takes place in Korcula, the main town of the island of Korcula off the coast of the former Yugoslavia (now within Croatia), in honor of the town's patron saint, Theodore. The dance-cum-pageant, with many clashes of steel, symbolizes the battle against the Turks when Korcula was under the control of the kings of Bosnia in the late 14th century. Korcula has hosted the dance since 1997 to celebrate and preserve the 400-year-old tradition of sword dancing. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: napnap - A pretend hit or strike in a theatrical performance. More... teasel - A tool for raising the nap of something. More... crushed velvet - Has its nap pointing in different directions in irregular patches. More... nap - As in a short sleep, it comes from Old English hnappian, "to sleep lightly." More... | |