Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, April 15, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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high-and-mighty
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Action VerbsThere are many different categories of verbs that describe different kinds of actions or states of being. Action verbs describe an active process that results in an effect. What are these verbs also known as? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 KomitasKomitas was an Armenian composer, conductor, and ethnomusicologist now regarded as the founder of modern Armenian classical music. Orphaned as a boy, he was educated at Echmiadzin Seminary and ordained a priest. After establishing a choir at the monastery, he went to Berlin to study music. Upon his return, he traveled around Armenia collecting thousands of folk songs, many of which he adapted for choirs. Why do some consider him a martyr of the 1915 Armenian genocide, even though he survived it? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Battle of Formigny (1450)One of the first battles in which cannons played a pivotal, if not decisive, role, the Battle of Formigny was a major French victory toward the end of the Hundred Years' War. The English were dealt a significant blow—thousands of troops were killed, injured, or captured—and, as there were no other significant English forces in Normandy, the entire region quickly fell to the French. The battle had raged for several hours before the tides turned in favor of the French. What brought this about? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Bessie Smith (1894)When Smith was just a teen, she became the protégée of Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, one of the earliest blues singers. After making recordings, she quickly became the favorite singer of the jazz public. The power and somber beauty of her voice, coupled with songs representing every variety of the blues, earned her the title "Empress of the Blues." Numerous critics have regarded her as the greatest of all jazz artists, and her fame increased enormously after her death in what tragic accident? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 To know, to esteem, to love, and then to part,Makes up life's tale to many a feeling heart! Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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hothead— A person with an excitable, fiery, or impetuous temper or disposition; one who is quick to get angry or act rashly. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Jackie Robinson Day (2021)Jackie Robinson Day is celebrated throughout Major League Baseball (MLB) in honor of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play professional baseball in the MLB. On April 15, 1947, Robinson played his first professional game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. To commemorate Robinson's achievements, activities are planned each year at all MLB stadiums on April 15th. Home teams coordinate activities for the tribute, which may include pre-game award presentations, special guests throwing the first pitch, prizes for fans, and appearances by other legendary baseball stars. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: papyrusvolume - Originally the name of a scroll or roll of papyrus, from Latin volvere, "to roll up." More... bible - Derived from biblios, the name for the papyrus produced in the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos. More... schedule - Goes back to Greek skhede, for "leaf of papyrus"; it started out meaning a ticket or a brief note. More... tome - Comes from Greek tomos, "roll of papyrus," and was originally a word for one volume of a larger work. More... | |