Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, February 13, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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unnameable
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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ParenthesesParentheses are used to separate information that is not necessary to the structure or meaning of the surrounding text. When can parentheses be replaced by em dashes? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The UraeusThe uraeus is the stylized upright form of an Egyptian spitting cobra that often adorned the headdresses of the pharaohs as a symbol of divine authority. It represented one of the earliest Egyptian deities, Wadjet, and was believed to protect the pharaohs by spitting her fire at their enemies. According to myth, Isis made the first uraeus from the dust of the earth and the spittle of the sun god. Upon the unification of Egypt, the uraeus was joined with what other symbol? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Nashville Sit-Ins Begin (1960)Just before it became first major Southern US city to begin integrating public spaces, Nashville was the scene of a months-long peaceful protest at the lunch counters of the city's department stores. Scores of African-American college students calmly occupied seats at the counters while employees refused to serve them. Some protesters were assaulted or jailed. That May, the counters were desegregated. The protesters' code of conduct became a model for other demonstrations. What did it say? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Sarojini Naidu (1879)Known as "the Nightingale of India," Naidu was an Indian child prodigy who began writing poetry as a young girl. She went on to pursue politics and became the first Indian woman to serve as president of the Indian National Congress and the first female governor of Uttar Pradesh. She enjoyed a close relationship with Mohandas Gandhi, and her participation in passive disobedience campaigns landed her in jail on multiple occasions. How is Naidu's birthday celebrated in India? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I realized that ritual will always mean throwing away something; destroying our corn or wine upon the altar of our gods.Gilbert Chesterton (1874-1936) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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ball hog— sports A player who monopolizes the ball without including teammates in an attempt to score, move the ball, or maintain possession. Usually used for basketball and football (soccer). More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Parentalia (2025)This was an ancient Roman festival held in honor of the manes, or souls of the dead—in particular, deceased relatives. It began a season for remembering the dead, which ended with the Feralia on February 21. This week was a quiet, serious occasion, without the rowdiness that characterized other Roman festivals. Everything, including the temples, closed down, and people decorated graves with flowers and left food—sometimes elaborate banquets—in the cemeteries in the belief that it would be eaten by the spirits of the deceased. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: small quantityfingerfull - A pinch or small quantity. More... quantulum - A small quantity. More... dreg - A small remnant or a small quantity. More... dribs and drabs - First recorded in the 19th century; both of the words mean "small quantity or amount," making this an emphatic phrase. More... | |