Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, September 17, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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credenza
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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The Present Continuous for Actions Happening at the Moment of SpeechThe most common occurrence of the present continuous is when someone or something is performing an action at the very moment being described. What is the present continuous verb in the following sentence? "I am going home now." More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Sea SpongesSponges are sessile, mostly marine animals from the phylum Porifera. Until the 18th century, scientists classified them as plants because they demonstrated so little movement. More than 4,500 living species, which reproduce through both sexual and asexual means, have been documented. Sponges are colonial in nature, living in groups that may grow to 5 feet (150 cm) in diameter. In common usage, the term "sponge" refers to what part of this aquatic animal? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Battle of Antietam (1862)In September 1862, Confederate General Robert E. Lee crossed the Potomac River to invade Maryland and Pennsylvania. He was met by Union General George McClellan. The resulting Battle of Antietam, fought near Sharpsburg, Maryland, was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with a total of 23,000 casualties. It was a Union victory only in the sense that Lee's invasion was stopped. McClellan was later removed from command and was faulted for failing to act on what crucial opportunity? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 William Carlos Williams (1883)Trained as a pediatrician, Williams wrote poetry and practiced medicine in his New Jersey hometown. Regarded as one of the most original American poets of the 20th century, he closely observed American life and recorded his impressions in a lucid style. His poems, such as "The Red Wheelbarrow" and "This Is Just To Say," are noted for making the ordinary appear extraordinary. Williams was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for what volume of poetry? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never appear.Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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(as) sick as a parrot— Thoroughly displeased, disappointed, or dejected (about something). Primarily heard in UK. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (2025)The US holidays Constitution Day and "I Am an American" Day have been combined into Citizenship Day, which a number of states and cities celebrate with special exercises on September 17. Schools make a special effort to acquaint their students with the history and importance of the Constitution. Naturalization ceremonies, re-creations of the signing of the Constitution, and parades are other popular ways of celebrating Citizenship Day and bring attention to the rights and obligations of citizenship. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: spikepricket - A candlestick with a spike for holding up the candle (or the spike itself). More... barb - As any type of spike or projection, it is based on Latin barba, "beard"; it is also a piece of vertically pleated linen worn over or under the chin, as by nuns. More... brad - A small or thin wire nail, it is from Old Norse broddr, "spike." More... spike - Probably borrowed from Dutch spiker, "long sharp piece." More... | |