Word of the Day, February 23, 2023

February 23, 2023 [The Free Dictionary]( Word of the Day [reticle]( [Discuss]( Definition: (noun) A grid or pattern placed in the eyepiece of an optical instrument, used to establish scale or position. Synonyms: [graticule]( [reticule]( Usage: Looking through the microscope's eyepiece, he was able to establish the size of the molecule with the help of a reticle. 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. 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]( Idiom of the Day [bucket list]( — A list of accomplishments or tasks one hopes to do or achieve before one dies. "Bucket" here is taken from the phrase "kick the bucket," meaning to die. ["More...]( [Idiom video]( Article of the Day The Great Gatsby [Discuss]( Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, an American novelist of the Jazz Age, The Great Gatsby is today considered standard reading in high school courses on American literature. It tells the story of a bootlegger whose obsessive dream of wealth and lost love is destroyed by a corrupt reality. Cynical yet poignant, the novel is a devastating portrait of the so-called American Dream, which measures success and love in terms of money. What other titles did Fitzgerald consider for this novel? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Using the Passive Voice [Discuss]( The passive voice may be used to emphasize the importance of the receiver of the action. How is this different from the active voice? [More...]( This Day in History Cuba Leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States (1903) [Discuss]( The city of Guantánamo is located in southeast Cuba. Founded in the early 19th century by French colonists from Haiti, it is well known today as the home of the US Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, which has installations covering roughly 45 sq mi (116 sq km). The site was leased to the US in 1903, but the Cuban government has refused since 1960 to accept the token annual rent of $5,000 from the US and has pressured for the surrender of the base. What was established at the base in 2002? [More...]( Today's Birthday W.E.B. Du Bois (1868) [Discuss]( Du Bois was an early African-American civil rights leader and scholar, as well as the first African American to receive a PhD from Harvard University. He was an outspoken critic of the social inequalities that existed in the US during the early part of the 20th century, and he helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). What led Du Bois to seek Ghanaian citizenship at the age of 95? [More...]( Today's Holiday St. Polycarp's Day [Discuss]( [St. Polycarp]( (c. 69-c. 155) was a disciple of St. John the Evangelist. He became bishop of [Smyrna]( in 96 and, when the persecution of Christians was ordered by Roman Emperor [Marcus Aurelius]( he was condemned to be burned at the stake. But according to legend, the fire formed an arch over his head and his body was left unharmed. When a spear was plunged into his heart, so much blood poured out that it quenched the flames. It was the martyrdom of St. Polycarp that gave rise to one of Christianity's richest traditions: the annual commemoration of the anniversary of a saint's death. [More...](Polycarp's+Day) Quote of the Day [Discuss]( I believe that if one always looked at the skies, one would end up with wings. [Gustave Flaubert]( (1821-1880) 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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