Word of the Day, January 30, 2023

January 30, 2023 [The Free Dictionary]( Word of the Day [valance]( [Discuss]( Definition: (noun) An ornamental drapery hung across a top edge, as of a bed, table, or canopy. Synonyms: [cornice]( [pelmet]( [valance board]( Usage: Large valances of silk, embroidered with flowers of gay colors, which were rather faded, fell from the wide windows. Missing Idiom Contest The Free Dictionary has the largest collection of English idioms in the world. But we are 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 Grammar Rules [Complete English Grammar Rules] An Amazon Best Seller! Finally, all the rules of English grammar, all in one book, explained in simple terms. ✔ 500+ pages of proper grammar instruction—2X more information than the leading grammar book! ✔ Hundreds of quizzes and thousands of example sentences. [Buy now]( Idiom of the Day [good omen]( — A sign, either real or imagined, of good fortune or a propitious outcome. ["More...]( [Idiom video]( Article of the Day Jessica Tandy [Discuss]( Tandy was a noted British-American theater, film, and TV actress. She made her London stage debut in 1927 and soon became a leading lady, appearing as Katherine opposite Laurence Olivier's Henry V, and Ophelia opposite John Gielgud's Hamlet. She became known for her incisive portrayals of diverse characters and won a Tony Award playing Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire. Tandy often took the stage with her husband, actor Hume Cronyn. In 1989, she won an Academy Award for what film? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Declarative Sentences in the Present Indicative [Discuss]( The present indicative describes things that are happening, are about to happen, or are believed to be happening. In declarative sentences in the present indicative, the present simple tense and present continuous tense describe habits or things occurring in the present or near future. What do the present perfect tense and present perfect continuous tense describe? [More...]( This Day in History Hitler Is Appointed Chancellor of Germany (1933) [Discuss]( Hitler's rise to power began long before 1933, with his development of the Nazi party in the early 1920s and the release of his book, Mein Kampf. When the Nazis were elected the largest party in the Reichstag in 1932, German President Paul von Hindenburg offered Hitler a subordinate position in the cabinet. Hitler held out for a more powerful post and only had to wait six months to be named chancellor. How did Hitler then work to eliminate the communists as a political opponent? [More...]( Today's Birthday Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882) [Discuss]( Elected to an unprecedented four presidential terms, Roosevelt guided the US through the Great Depression and World War II. He instituted the New Deal program to promote economic recovery and social reform and, as war spread in Europe, prepared for the possibility that the US would enter the war. When it finally did, he led the nation to the threshold of victory, dying in office less than a month before Germany's surrender to the Allies. What quote about fear is attributed to FDR? [More...]( Today's Holiday Abdullah's Birthday in Jordan [Discuss]( Since 1999, the year [Adbullah II bin al-Hussein]( succeeded his father, [King Hussein]( as national monarch, [Jordan]( has celebrated the king's birthday. It is typical on this date for the Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan to publish various well-wishes that arrive from international dignitaries. Before 2007, the country also observed the day as an official national holiday by closing all its banks and stores. However, that year, King Abdullah announced that in order to help "boost productivity and dedication," banks and businesses would remain open on his birthday. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( I never expect to see a perfect work from imperfect man. 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