Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, September 17, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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maltreat
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Complex SentencesComplex sentences are made up of one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. What introduces and links the dependent clause to the independent clause? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 SpinstersBy the 14th century, a woman whose occupation was spinning thread to be woven into cloth was called a "spinster." Over time, the term came to denote unmarried women of any occupation—many of whom engaged in spinning as a respectable way to earn income—and began being used in official legal documents to refer to a woman who had never married. Despite its negative connotations, its use persisted into the 21st century. When was the term finally replaced in the legal documents of the UK? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 "Is Paul McCartney Dead?" (1969)If one is to believe the rumors, the real Paul McCartney died at the height of Beatlemania and was secretly replaced by a double. The precise origins of this urban legend are unknown, but it gained traction at around the time that the band was breaking up. This is attributed in part to an article published in an Iowa university student newspaper addressing the rumors and pointing to supposed clues in the band's music and album artwork that alluded to the rocker's death. What are some examples? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (1904)Ashton is best known as the founding choreographer of England's Royal Ballet. He was drawn to dance at age 13 after attending a performance by the legendary Anna Pavlova in Peru, where he grew up. While studying dance with Léonide Massine and Marie Rambert, he began staging works. In the 1930s, he joined what would later become the Royal Ballet as its chief choreographer. Ashton is largely responsible for the elegantly reserved style of English classical dance. What are his most famous works? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Some cynical Frenchman has said that there are two parties to a love-transaction: the one who loves and the other who condescends to be so treated.William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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man up— To deal with something in a more brave, stoic, or masculine way than one has done so hitherto. (Usually used imperatively.) More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (2021)The US holidays Constitution Day and "I Am an American" Day have been combined into Citizenship Day, which a number of states and cities celebrate with special exercises on September 17. Schools make a special effort to acquaint their students with the history and importance of the Constitution. Naturalization ceremonies, re-creations of the signing of the Constitution, and parades are other popular ways of celebrating Citizenship Day and bring attention to the rights and obligations of citizenship. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: harmfulcatalytic converter - A device with a catalyst for converting pollutant gases into less harmful ones. More... allergen - Though allergens are not harmful themselves, when they are combined with certain antibodies, a reaction (i.e. the allergy) liberates substances that damage body cells and tissues. More... intrigant - A person who plots something illicit or harmful. More... nocuous - Meaning "harmful, noxious," it is based on Latin nocere, "to hurt." More... | |