Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, November 24, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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whet
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Prepositions of Direction or MovementA preposition of direction or movement describes how, where, or in what way something moves. "To," "from," and "over" are all prepositions of direction or movement. What are some others? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 EunuchsThe custom of employing eunuchs—men who have been castrated—as servants in wealthy or royal households dates back millennia. In ancient China and the Middle East, eunuchs acted as guards in harems and as chamberlains to kings. The confidential position enabled them to exert considerable influence over their masters. Use of eunuchs in royal courts peaked during the Byzantine Empire and faded with the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Whose assassin's killer castrated himself to avoid sexual temptation? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Mysterious Hijacker Parachutes from Plane with $200,000 Ransom (1971)To this day, the true identity of the well-dressed man calling himself Dan Cooper—reported in the press as D. B. Cooper—who hijacked a passenger jet and then parachuted from the airborne Boeing 727 with a $200,000 ransom, remains a mystery. Despite numerous leads and a great deal of media attention, the mystery man's true identity and whereabouts continue to elude investigators, and the bulk of the money has never been recovered. What are some theories about who he was and what became of him? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864)Toulouse-Lautrec developed his interest in art as a teen during a lengthy convalescence after breaking both his legs in separate accidents. At 21, he set up his own studio in Paris, but alcoholism brought about his early demise at 36. Even so, he left an enormous and influential body of work, which captured the atmosphere of Paris brothels and cabaret life with intense colors and remarkable objectivity. His lithographs and posters are now world-renowned. What cocktail is he said to have created? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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(Go) tell it/that to Sweeney!— dated A scornful or incredulous response to a story or statement that one does not believe or finds ridiculous. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Jizo Ennichi (2025)Tradition calls for Japanese Buddhists to honor Kshitigarba Jizo on the 24th day of each month with a ritual known as Jizo Ennichi. Kshitigarba Jizo is a Bodhisattva, or "Buddha-to-be." Among Japanese Buddhists, he is known for helping children, women in labor, and the wicked. He is also believed to participate in ushering in the souls of the faithful when they die. His statue is most often found outside temples, where he can guide both the dead and the living. Shrines in his honor are set up along roadsides, since he protects travelers as well. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: thickfoggy, fog - Foggy first meant "covered with a grass; mossy; boggy," as fog first meant "coarse grass" and evolved to mean "thick, murky" in relation to atmosphere. More... riley - Has two meanings: thick and turbid, or angry and irritable. More... baobab tree - Is so thick—up to 30 feet across—that some African tribes hollow them out so families can live inside. More... | |