Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, September 16, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Comparative Adverbs with Two FormsThere are a few adverbs that have two generally accepted forms. In these cases, they also have two commonly used comparative forms. What are some examples? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Bear-BaitingPopular in England until the 19th century, bear-baiting is a blood sport in which trained dogs are set upon a chained bear. Bear gardens, arenas where bears were exhibited and bear-baiting events were held, consisted of a circular, high walled area—called the "pit"—and raised seating for spectators. Said to have been favored by monarchs like Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, the sport was eventually outlawed due to its cruelty. In what other places has bear baiting been popular? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Mayflower Sets Sail for New England (1620)The Mayflower set sail from England to the New World with 102 passengers and about 25 crew members. After a two-month voyage marked by disease, the ship dropped anchor in Cape Cod Bay. After spending the winter selecting a suitable site for their new colony and drawing up an agreement for its temporary government by the will of the majority—the Mayflower Compact—the surviving passengers settled Plymouth. Why did the Speedwell, which set out with the Mayflower, turn back? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 B.B. King (1925)A singer and guitarist born into a sharecropping family in the Mississippi Delta region of the US, King began playing guitar at 12. He worked as a radio DJ in Memphis before coming to prominence as a guitarist in 1952. He has toured widely, averaging over 300 shows a year for nearly 30 years. King famously named his guitar Lucille after a woman who inspired a fight at one of his concerts that ended with the venue burning down. King's first name is Riley. What does B.B. stand for? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Throughout life, our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for the sake of the people whom we most despise.Charles Dickens (1812-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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be sick to death of (something)— To be or become exceedingly wearied by, bored of, or exasperated with something. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Mexico Festival of Independence (2025)At 11 o'clock on the night of September 15 in Mexico City, the president appears on the balcony of the National Palace and proclaims the famous Grito de Dolores ("cry of Dolores")—the "call to freedom" that the priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla used to rouse the peasant population to fight for their independence in 1810. The people respond by cheering Viva México! and shooting off fireworks. The following day is Independence Day, which is celebrated with fireworks, the ringing of cathedral bells, and a huge military parade. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: perfectA-OK - Astronauts on the Mercury Project in 1961 popularized A-OK, meaning "excellent, perfect"; it was coined by blending the adjective "A," as in A-one or A1, meaning "first-class," with "OK." More... palinoia - The compulsive repetition of an act until it is perfect. More... parfait - Literally French for "perfect." More... perfect binding - A book bound by gluing instead of sewing. More... | |