Word of the Day, October 3, 2022

[ ] October 3, 2022 Word of the Day [diffidence]( [Discuss]( Definition: (noun) The quality or state of being diffident; timidity or shyness. Synonyms: [self-distrust]( [self-doubt]( Usage: The youth sat down as directed, but reluctantly and with diffidence. 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 [chum up]( — To be friendly with someone. [More...]( Article of the Day Enrico Caruso [Discuss]( Caruso was an Italian operatic tenor renowned for the beauty, range, and power of his voice. A mechanical engineer who indulged his passion for singing in his spare time, Caruso had no formal musical training until his late teens. After just a few years of study, he made his professional operatic debut, touching off his meteoric rise to fame. In 1903, he made his American debut at the Metropolitan Opera, where he was a favorite until his death. What helped secure his status as an opera legend? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Possessive Adjectives [Discuss]( Possessive adjectives, also known as "possessive determiners," are used to indicate whom an item belongs to. While there are standard possessive adjectives (such as "my," "your," and "its"), we can also create possessive determiners from nouns by using what? [More...]( This Day in History Battle of Mogadishu Begins (1993) [Discuss]( In 1992, US armed forces, together with the United Nations, undertook a joint relief operation in Somalia, a country wracked by civil war and famine. Increasing violence in the area led to "Operation Gothic Serpent," a US mission to capture Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid's top advisors, but two US helicopters were shot down, and an urban battle ensued. Eighteen US servicemen and thousands of Somalis died in the fighting. What went wrong even before the helicopters were shot down? [More...]( Today's Birthday Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954) [Discuss]( Vaughan's career as a professional musician was tragically cut short when he was killed in a helicopter crash in 1990, but in the short time he spent in the industry, he helped inspire a blues-rock revival and secured his reputation as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. His trio's 1989 album In Step won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album, as did the posthumously released Family Style, featuring Vaughan and his brother Jimmie. What was Vaughan's "first wife"? [More...]( Today's Holiday German Unity Day [Discuss]( Unity Day celebrates the [reunification]( of East and West Germany that took place on October 3, 1990. In setting the date of the official reunification, West German Chancellor [Helmut Kohl]( wanted to honor the historic events of November 1989, in which the government of East Germany resigned and thousands of citizens scaled the [Berlin Wall]( and began to demolish it, but did not want to overshadow other important November observances. German Unity Day is observed with speeches, marches, and public events, including the government's official Unity Day celebration street festival. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( Except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power. [Rene Descartes]( (1596-1650) 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. [The Free Dictionary Pro App] The PRO version, with expanded offline content. - No ads. - A more comprehensive English offline dictionary, plus 13 other offline dictionaries: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian, Greek, Arabic, Polish, Turkish, and Russian. - Offline translations of English into more than 40 languages, plus dozens of other offline translation options. - Plus all the content of the classic free app! Due to our email provider's recent increase in prices, the Word of the Day email will now only be sent on weekdays. You can still access each day's content here: If you would like to remain on our email list, please open our Word of the Day email at least once per week and engage with it. Alternatively, we will remove your name from our mailing list. Farlex, Inc., 15 Henry Ave, 1st Floor, Feasterville, PA 19053 [SafeUnsubscribe™ {EMAIL}]( [Forward email]( | [Update Profile]( | [Customer Contact Data Notice]( Sent by no-reply@thefreedictionary.com powered by [Constant Contact]( [Try email marketing for free today!](