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Tuesday, December 3, 2024 | View Archive ?
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Word of the Day

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patter

Definition: (verb) Plausible glib talk (especially useful to a salesperson).
Synonyms:line of gab, spiel
Usage:The automobile salesman spoke about the old car so approvingly and at such length that the customers soon began to grow tired of his patter. Discuss. Play

Daily Grammar Lesson

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Using "Would"

The modal auxiliary verb "would" has a variety of functions and uses. It is used in place of "will" for things that happened or began in the past. It is also sometimes used in place of "will" to change the tone of a sentence in what way? More... Discuss

Article of the Day

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Dictionaries

The lexical compilations known as dictionaries have taken many forms throughout the ages. The earliest dictionaries were created by the Greeks in the first century CE, while multilingual dictionaries emerged during the Middle Ages. Though today's lexica contain alphabetized word lists, until the 18th century, English dictionaries were predominantly organized by topic. What were some of the distinctly American words that Noah Webster first documented in his 1828 dictionary? More... Discuss

This Day in History

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Illinois Becomes the 21st US State (1818)

At the end the French and Indian Wars, France ceded the entire Illinois region to Britain. This region was an integral part of the Old Northwest that was brought within US boundaries 20 years later by the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended the American Revolution. In 1787, the area was officially designated the Northwest Territory. Made part of Indiana Territory in 1800, Illinois was granted statehood in 1818. In recent years, Illinois has earned recognition for being what sort of state? More... Discuss

Today's Birthday

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George Brinton McClellan (1826)

At the outbreak of the American Civil War, McClellan was placed in command of the Union forces in Ohio. Appointed general-in-chief of the army by President Abraham Lincoln in 1861, he cautiously conducted the Peninsular Campaign but failed to take Richmond. At the Battle of Antietam, he failed to destroy Robert E. Lee's army, and Lincoln removed him from command. In 1864, he was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for president against Lincoln. What did Lee once say about McClellan? More... Discuss

Quotation of the Day

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The fortunes of war more than any other are liable to frequent fluctuations.

Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) Discuss

Mismatch
Select word:
thickness
slowing
achiever
loser
gravity
thinness
acceleration
levity
hollowness
solidity

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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Identify the adverbial phrase in the following sentence.
“Sally threw the football to her friend.”

Spelling Bee
Difficulty level:
adj. showing ignorance or the laws of nature and faith in magic or chance
Spell the word:

Match Up

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Select word:
rankle
diddle
fritter
dissipate
subside
eat into
hornswoggle
lessen
ennoble
gentle

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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International Day of Disabled Persons

The years 1983-92 marked the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons, a period during which great strides were made in raising awareness and enacting laws to improve the situation of individuals with disabilities. At the conclusion of this 10-year observance, December 3 was proclaimed the International Day of Disabled Persons. The UN General Assembly appealed to its members to observe this day with activities and events designed to promote the advantages of integrating disabled persons into every area of social, economic, and political life. More... Discuss

Horoscope

Idiom of the Day

like there were no tomorrow

— Very rapidly and eagerly; without restraint or thought (i.e., as if there won't be another opportunity, so one must do something as much or as quickly as possible). More... Discuss