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Wednesday, May 1, 2024 | View Archive ?
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Word of the Day

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sternutation

Definition: (noun) A symptom consisting of the involuntary expulsion of air from the nose.
Synonyms:sneeze, sneezing
Usage:John complained that every time he came to visit, my dusty carpet would send him into fits of sternutation. Discuss. Play

Daily Grammar Lesson

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Ambitransitive Verbs

Some action verbs can be both transitive and intransitive, depending on the context of the sentence or what information the speaker wishes to include. These are sometimes known as "ambitransitive verbs." What are some examples of ambitransitive verbs? More... Discuss

Article of the Day

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Gallstones

The gallbladder is a small sac that stores and concentrates bile, a bitter fluid that aids in the emulsification of fats. In some people, small, pebble-like masses composed chiefly of cholesterol, calcium salts, and bile pigments form in the gallbladder or bile ducts. The presence of gallstones can lead to painful obstruction or infection and is sometimes treated with cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. How does a procedure called lithotripsy break up gallstones? More... Discuss

This Day in History

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Founding of the Illuminati (1776)

The Illuminati were members of a rationalistic society founded in Germany by Adam Weishaupt. Having close affinities with the Freemasons and seemingly organized on a Masonic plan, the group was briefly very popular among German rationalists but had limited influence. The Roman Catholic Church, which Weishaupt left in his youth and rejoined before his death, condemned the Illuminati. In 1785, the Bavarian government dissolved the organization. What conspiracy theories involve the Illuminati? More... Discuss

Today's Birthday

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Calamity Jane (1852)

Born Martha Jane Canary, Calamity Jane was a legendary American frontierswoman. She grew up in Montana and worked in mining camps, where she acquired riding and shooting skills. In 1876, she appeared in Deadwood, South Dakota, the site of new gold strikes, boasting of her marksmanship and her exploits as a pony-express rider and as a scout with Custer's forces. It was there that she likely met Wild Bill Hickok, who would become her companion. How did Jane claim to have acquired her nickname? More... Discuss

Quotation of the Day

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It is curious how instinctively one protects the image of oneself from idolatry or any other handling that could make it ridiculous, or too unlike the original to be believed in any longer.

Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) Discuss

Mismatch
Select word:
preparation
nativeness
literacy
heaviness
pride
analphabetism
tomfoolery
resolution
foreignness
humbleness

Match each word in the left column with its antonym (opposite) on the right. When finished, click Answer to see the results. Good luck!

 

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Hangman

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Grammar Quiz

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Where does an adverb of degree usually appear in a sentence?

Spelling Bee
Difficulty level:
n. A social system in which the father is the head of the family and men have authority over women and children
Spell the word:

Match Up

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Select word:
nonchalance
sod
half-staff
snooze
ballyhoo
half-mast
catnap
unconcern
greensward
plug

Match each word in the left column with its synonym on the right. When finished, click Answer to see the results. Good luck!

 

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Today's Holiday

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Beltane

Beltane is the Celtic name for the first day of May, which divided the ancient Celtic year in half. It was believed that each day began with the setting of the sun the night before, so Beltane was celebrated by lighting bonfires to honor the sun god. Contact with the fire was symbolic of contact with the life-giving sun. The day is still observed in parts of Ireland, the Scottish Highlands, Wales, Brittany, and the Isle of Man, with most of the celebrations revolving around fire and reflecting ancient fertility rites. More... Discuss

Horoscope

Idiom of the Day

fingers crossed

— An expression of hope that something one desires will come to pass or turn out to be true. A truncated version of the phrase "keep your fingers crossed." More... Discuss