Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, October 31, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
meditate
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Defining PrepositionsPrepositions are used to express the relationship of a noun or pronoun (or another grammatical element functioning as a noun) to the rest of the sentence. What is the object of the preposition? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 ArgyriaMinimally toxic to humans and known for its antibiotic properties, silver has historically been used in a variety of medical and industrial applications. However, prolonged exposure to silver can result in argyria, a permanent slate-gray or bluish discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, and internal organs. Though the condition is not harmful, it is irreversible and, in some cases, very noticeable. What American politician took on a bluish tint after consuming a homemade silver concoction? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 Leiden University Library Opens in the Netherlands (1587)The city of Leiden played a prominent role in the revolt that would create an independent Dutch nation. In 1575—a year after Leiden had survived a siege by the Spanish—Prince William the Silent founded a university in the city. Today, Leiden University is the oldest in the Netherlands. Its library, once housed in a single room, is now home to a monumental collection of books, manuscripts, maps, and letters—some of which are centuries old and very rare. What was the library's first book? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 John Evelyn (1620)From 1631 until his death in 1706, Evelyn kept a diary that is today an invaluable source of information on 17th-century British social, cultural, and political life. He corresponded frequently with Samuel Pepys, another now-famous diarist of the time. Living as a wealthy country gentleman in Deptford, he wrote about 30 books on various subjects including reforestation, vegetarianism, and numismatics. In 1661, he wrote the Fumifugium, believed to be the first book written on what topic? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Nothing is so hard for those who abound in riches as to conceive how others can be in want.Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
take a breather— To take a short pause or hiatus (from something). More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Apple and Candle Night (2025)This is another name for Halloween among children in the Swansea area of Wales. The traditional game of "Apple and Candle" is played by suspending a stick from the ceiling with an apple fastened to one end and a lit candle to the other. The object is to eat the apple without using hands and without getting burned by the swinging candle. To make the game more challenging, players are sometimes blindfolded and the stick is twirled around before the game begins. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|