Word of the Day, September 28, 2022

[ ] September 28, 2022 Word of the Day [avidity]( [Discuss]( Definition: (noun) Keen interest or enthusiasm. Synonyms: [eagerness]( [avidness]( [keenness]( Usage: A devoted fan, he followed the tennis tournament with avidity. Missing Idiom Contest The Free Dictionary has the largest collection of English idioms in the world. But we're always looking for more to add, and we want your help! Every so often we hear from users who have looked up an idiom on The Free Dictionary that it was not found in the database. Maybe it was some expression they heard at work, or some phrase they grew up hearing their grandmother say. If you know an idiom that isn't already defined on The Free Dictionary, [send it to us]( and you might win $150 USD. Complete English Punctuation Rules [Complete English Punctuation Rules] An Amazon Best Seller! The only punctuation guide with simple, easy-to-remember rules for how to use—and not use—every punctuation mark. ✔ Side-by-side examples of both correct and incorrect punctuation. ✔ Quizzes after every topic to help you retain what you learn. [Buy now](as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=farlex-el-20) Idiom of the Day [castle in the air]( — A hope or wish, especially for one's life, that is unlikely to come true. A daydream. [More...]( Article of the Day (Hula) Hooping Through History [Discuss]( Hoops, originally made from stiff grasses and other natural materials, have been popular toys for centuries—long before "hula" was added to their name in the 18th century. Doctors in medieval England blamed many injuries on a recreational "hooping" fad. Another craze surfaced in the 1950s, when the Wham-O company released its plastic hoop. Today, hoops have found renewed popularity among adults who perform hoop dances or enjoy hooping at concerts. What do you need to make your own hula hoop? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Defining Participle Phrases [Discuss]( When they function as adjectives, participles can form "participle phrases" (sometimes known as "participle clauses") with any information that modifies or complements them. Because they function as adjectives, what do participle phrases modify in a sentence? [More...]( This Day in History Second Intifada Begins (2000) [Discuss]( In 2000, Israeli politician Ariel Sharon visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque—a site holy to Muslims and Jews—in Jerusalem. Accompanied by soldiers, he claimed that Israel had sovereignty over this and other holy sites. His visit sparked riots that escalated into a new cycle of violence in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Israel. Israelis blamed Yasir Arafat—leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization—for Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians. What is the estimated death toll from the violence? [More...]( Today's Birthday Georges Clemenceau (1841) [Discuss]( Clemenceau was a French journalist and statesman whose politics brought him into conflict with Napoleon III's government. After spending several years in the US, he returned to France and became mayor of Montmartre. In 1880, he began publishing La Justice, which became the primary organ of Parisian radicalism, and he later published Emile Zola's "J'accuse," a passionate criticism of the Dreyfus Affair. He served as premier during World War I and was a key architect of what treaty? [More...]( Today's Holiday Czech Statehood Day (St. Wenceslas Day) [Discuss]( Czech Statehood Day marks the assassination of Duke [Vaclav Wenceslas]( of [Bohemia]( by his brother on September 28, c. 929-935. Wenceslas was canonized as a saint due to his martyr's death. Czech Statehood Day is a public holiday celebrated throughout the Czech Republic. Every year, the Czech president awards St. Wenceslas medals to people who contributed to Czech statehood. This ceremony takes place at [Prague Castle]( where a memorial wreath is placed on the statue of St. Wenceslas. In addition, a pilgrimage takes place at Stara Boleslav, the site of his murder. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move. [Robert Louis Stevenson]( (1850-1894) Mobile apps from TheFreeDictionary.com [The Free Dictionary Classic Free App] The classic free version, downloaded more than 6 million times! - Multiple dictionaries, encyclopedias, and thesauruses in one place. - 14 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian, Greek, Arabic, Polish, Turkish, and Russian. - Online translations of English into more than 40 languages, plus dozens of other translation options. 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