Word of the Day, October 31, 2022

[ ] October 31, 2022 Word of the Day [rondel]( [Discuss]( Definition: (noun) A poem similar to a rondeau, having 13 or 14 lines with two rhymes throughout. The first and second lines reappear in the middle and at the end, although sometimes only the first line appears at the end. Synonyms: [rondeau]( Usage: Her poetry club issued a new challenge every week; last week, everyone had to write a funny rondel about chewing gum. 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. The Farlex Financial Dictionary [The Farlex Financial Dictionary] New! Define your success with the essential financial and business dictionary. ✔ 19,000+ entries covering both basic and advanced concepts—nearly 4X more than the leading financial dictionary! ✔ Cut through the jargon with clear, in-depth definitions backed by industry expertise. [Buy now](as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=farlex-el-20) Idiom of the Day [billet-doux]( — A love letter. [More...]( Article of the Day Skunks [Discuss]( These small black-and-white mammals are best known for the foul-smelling oily liquid they expel when threatened. Skunks do not make use of this weapon unless severely provoked and then only after raising their tails in a warning display. Most animals quickly learn to avoid skunks because the odor of skunk spray is so strong. In addition to stinking, the spray causes choking and tearing of the eyes. What do researchers believe is essential to successfully neutralizing the skunk smell? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Defining the Exclamation Point [Discuss]( An exclamation point or exclamation mark ( ! ) is a punctuation mark commonly used to express strong, intense emotions in declarations. What else can it be used to add emphasis to? [More...]( This Day in History The Battle of Britain Is Won (1940) [Discuss]( The Battle of Britain was the first major German failure in World War II. The Royal Air Force (RAF), outgunned and outmanned, nevertheless defeated the German Luftwaffe and thwarted Hitler's plan for an amphibious invasion, which he had hoped would end the war quickly. The event was not only a testament to the courage of British pilots, but it also marked the first time a major battle was fought entirely in the air and featured the first use of radar in battle. Who were the "rows of idiots"? [More...]( Today's Birthday Chiang Kai-shek (1887) [Discuss]( After the Qing dynasty was overthrown and a republic established in China, Chiang joined the Kuomintang (KMT)—the Nationalist Party—and rose through the ranks to become commander in chief of the revolutionary army and eventual successor to leader Sun Yat-sen. Under Chiang's direction, the KMT broke with its former allies, the Communists, and began a protracted civil war. Despite some initial success, Chiang ultimately failed, and his government was driven from mainland China to where? [More...]( Today's Holiday Apple and Candle Night [Discuss]( This is another name for [Halloween]( among children in the [Swansea]( area of Wales. The traditional game of "Apple and Candle" is played by suspending a stick from the ceiling with an apple fastened to one end and a lit candle to the other. The object is to eat the apple without using hands and without getting burned by the swinging candle. To make the game more challenging, players are sometimes [blindfolded]( and the stick is twirled around before the game begins. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( Beauty is all very well at first sight; but whoever looks at it when it has been in the house three days? [George Bernard Shaw]( (1856-1950) 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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