Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, August 27, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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apostate
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Prepositional PhrasesA prepositional phrase is made up of at least a preposition and its object, which can be a noun, pronoun, or a noun phrase. Often times, the object will have a modifier or modifiers. Where do these appear in the prepositional phrase? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Brazen HeadMedieval Europe's version of the Magic 8 Ball, the legendary brazen head was a purportedly prophetic device said to be able to correctly answer any question put to it. Accounts of these devices differ—some are described as mechanical, others as magical—but they always take the form of a man's head. Brazen heads were so widely accepted that even writers, philosophers, and religious leaders allegedly made use of them. What work, often considered the first great novel, features such a head? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Edwin Drake Strikes Oil in Titusville, Pennsylvania (1859)In the late 1850s, Drake hired a salt well driller to start digging on a piece of land near Titusville, Pennsylvania. Though oil was known to exist nearby, there was no practical way to extract it, and its primary use was in medicine. In August 1859, Drake struck oil at a depth of 69 feet (21 m), an event that marked the birth of the oil industry. Once a quiet village, Titusville became a bustling town as prospectors flocked to the area. What disaster struck the town more than once? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Charles Stewart Rolls (1877)A member of the British aristocracy, Rolls developed an interest in engines and cars while studying at Cambridge. He became the first person there to have a car—a Peugeot—and, in 1902, he went into the automobile sales business. Striking a deal with manufacturer Frederick Royce in 1906, he co-founded the Rolls-Royce automobile company, which quickly earned a reputation for its engineering. In 1910, at the age of 32, Rolls became the first Briton to die in what unusual way? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 What would any of us have been, if our fathers hadn't drawed our faculties out of us?Charles Dickens (1812-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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with reckless abandon— With rash, unrestrained impulsiveness, enthusiasm, or zeal. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Helsinki Festival (2023)The largest cultural event in the Nordic countries is the Helsinki Festival. First held in 1967, its programming includes music from all periods—rock, jazz, opera, symphonic music, and chamber works—as well as theater, ballet, circus, and art and photo exhibitions. Among the many musical events is what is known as the Festival Informal, a series where artists and visitors meet informally for "relaxed performances." Events are held in the city's parks and arcades as well as in the modern Finlandia Hall and the Finnish National Theatre and Opera. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: sheetmap - Comes from Latin mappa mundi, "sheet of the world" from mappa, "napkin, tablecloth." More... ream - Used to be 480 sheets of paper and is now 500. More... bed clothes, night clothes - Bed clothes usually refers to blankets and sheets, while night clothes refers to pajamas and gowns. More... portfolio - Comes from Italian for "carry" and "sheets or leaves of paper." More... | |