Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, February 6, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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denizen
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Constructions Prone to Dangling PrepositionsDangling prepositions occur when prepositional verbs or phrasal verbs are used at the end of a sentence or clause but the objects of the prepositions appear earlier in the sentence. Generally speaking, there are four types of syntactic constructions in which this happens. What are they? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 ObscurantismFrom the Latin word for darkening—obscurans—comes obscurantism, referring to the practice of deliberately withholding information. This may be done either by concealing facts or—in literature and art—by using an intentionally vague style. The term derives from a 16th-century satire about the dispute between Jew-turned-Dominican friar Johannes Pfefferkorn, who sought to destroy all Jewish texts, and his humanist opponent Johann Reuchlin. Who gave Pfefferkorn permission to burn the works? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Treaty of Waitangi Establishes New Zealand as a British Colony (1840)Though considered the founding document of New Zealand as a nation, the Treaty of Waitangi has been the subject of much debate since it was signed by representatives of the British crown and Maori chiefs in 1840. It gave Britain control of New Zealand while recognizing the native inhabitants' land rights. However, the English and Maori texts differed, leading to many controversies over its stipulations. In 1913, one of the treaty documents was restored after having been partially eaten by what? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Aaron Burr (1756)Before he shot and mortally wounded Alexander Hamilton in the famous duel, Burr was a well-regarded lawyer and politician, having served in the American Revolution and held various offices, including that of senator. But after Hamilton used his influence to thwart more than one of his political aspirations, Burr—then vice president—challenged him to a duel and won. Later, he was tried for and acquitted of treason for a plan to seize what areas of North America, possibly to create a new country? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall with the greatest loss.Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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(as) mad as hops— Enraged; extremely or inconsolably angry. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Sàmi National Holiday (2025)The Sàmi people are indigenous to the arctic area of the Nordic countries. February 6 is recognized as Sàmi National Holiday in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. This day is full of activities that celebrate the Sàmi culture. First celebrated in 1993, it has become a popular event and a time for the indigenous Sàmi people to celebrate their cultural identity. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: stretchingaforcing - The term for stretching the amount of a dish to accommodate more people. More... extend, extent - Are based on Latin pandere, "stretch." More... oscitancy, pandiculation - Oscitancy is the act of yawning; pandiculation is an all-over stretching and yawning, as upon waking, from Latin pandere. More... racking one's brain - Figuratively, it means stretching, and is derived from the Tower of London's torture method. More... | |