Word of the Day, December 22, 2022

[ ] December 22, 2022 Word of the Day [inexorable]( [Discuss]( Definition: (adjective) Not capable of being persuaded by entreaty; relentless. Synonyms: [relentless]( [grim]( [unappeasable]( [unrelenting]( [unforgiving]( [stern]( Usage: The inexorable investigator questioned the witness repeatedly, long after she had been reduced to tears and claimed to know nothing more. 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 [cry-baby]( — A person who cries or complains a lot, especially for little reason. [More...]( Article of the Day Flamingos [Discuss]( Flamingos are large pink or red wading birds with long necks and webbed feet. They live in large flocks throughout the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Flamingos have several quirky traits, such as an oddly-shaped bill specially adapted to strain food—aquatic plants, shellfish, and frogs—from muddy water in marshes and lagoons. Flamingos also have the unusual ability to stand on one leg with the head laid on the back for hours. What typically dictates the vibrancy of a flamingo's color? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson When to Use a Colon [Discuss]( Because colons act as an introductory element, they stand in place of words that would perform the same task: we should not use colons after words or phrases like "for example," "e.g.," or "namely" because they serve the same purpose, and the sentence would seem redundant if a colon were used as well. What must we use instead? [More...]( This Day in History US Bans Trade with All Foreign Nations (1807) [Discuss]( In the midst of the Napoleonic Wars, US Congress passed legislation banning trade between its ports and foreign nations. The Embargo Act was meant to pressure England and France to remove restrictions on commercial trading with neutral nations that they imposed in their war with each other. Napoleon had earlier decreed that no French ally or neutral nation could trade with Britain, and Britain had retaliated by blockading the northern European coastline. Did the embargo have the desired effect? [More...]( Today's Birthday Jean Racine (1639) [Discuss]( Though Racine bore substantial criticism from his contemporaries, he is now considered one of France's "big three" 17th-century dramatists, along with Corneille and Molière. Racine's tragedies are a prime example of French classicism, and his Alexandrine verse is considered exceptional in its harmony, simplicity, and elegance. His Andromaque, about the tragic folly of passionate love, earned him recognition as France's leading tragic dramatist. What created a rift between him and Molière? [More...]( Today's Holiday Soyaluna (Hopi Soyal Ceremony) [Discuss]( The [Hopi]( traditionally believed that at the time of the Winter Solstice, the Sun had traveled as far from the Earth as he ever did. The purpose of Soyaluna is to prevent the disappearance of the Sun at the time of year when the days are at their shortest. The main ceremony takes place in the [kiva]( a large, circular underground room. Hopi priests prepare the kiva by scattering [cornmeal]( around the floor. A stack of corn serves as an altar, surrounded by stalks and husks. At the solstice, everyone assembles in the kiva for rituals designed to bring the sun back for another agricultural year. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( Our own heart, and not other men's opinions, forms our true honor. [Samuel Taylor Coleridge]( (1772-1834) 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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