Word of the Day, April 2, 2023

April 2, 2023 [The Free Dictionary]( Word of the Day [battlement]( [Discuss]( Definition: (noun) A notched parapet built on top of a wall, with alternating merlons and crenels for decoration or defense. Synonyms: [crenelation]( [crenellation]( Usage: I came upon it by a winding ledge of road, which clung to the bare side of the hill like the battlements of some huge castle. 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 Spelling & Pronunciation Rules [Complete English Spelling & Pronunciation Rules] The latest volume in our best-selling Grammar Book series! Learn the rules and patterns that tell you exactly how any word should be spelled and pronounced. ✔ Go beyond "I before E except after C" and get all the rules and exceptions, all in one place, all explained in plain English. ✔ Simple tips and tricks to avoid the most common mistakes. [Buy now]( Idiom of the Day [the devil is in the detail(s)]( — Plans, actions, or situations that seem sound must be carefully examined, because minor details can end up causing major, unforeseen problems. ["More...]( [Idiom video]( Article of the Day Our Lady of Fatima [Discuss]( Our Lady of Fatima is the title given to the Virgin Mary by those who believe that she appeared to three shepherd children at Fátima, Portugal, in 1917, at a time when many young men, including relatives of the children, were fighting in WWI. She reportedly exhorted the children to do penance, and they wore tight cords around their waists and abstained from water on hot days. She also reportedly confided to them three secrets. One of these was a vision of Hell. What were the others? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Defining Dangling Prepositions [Discuss]( A dangling preposition (also called a "hanging preposition" or "stranded preposition") refers to a preposition whose object occurs earlier in the sentence, or else does not have an object in the sentence at all. It is considered "dangling," "hanging," or "stranded" because it does not form what? [More...]( This Day in History First Congresswoman in US History Takes Her Seat (1917) [Discuss]( Sometimes referred to as the "Lady of the House," Jeannette Rankin was the first woman to be elected to the US House of Representatives and the first female member of Congress. Just days into her term, she drew the ire of the press by voting, along with 56 others, against the resolution to enter WWI. In 1940, Rankin was again elected to Congress and once again voted against entering a world war, though this time she was the only Congress member to do so. What was the Jeanette Rankin Brigade? [More...]( Today's Birthday Charlemagne (c. 742 CE) [Discuss]( The Carolingian king of the Franks from 768 CE until his death in 814 CE, Charlemagne united most of Western Europe under a single empire for the first time since the Romans, becoming, in 800 CE, the first Holy Roman Emperor. Charles the Great, as he is also known, instituted many judicial and ecclesiastical reforms, promoted commerce and agriculture throughout his empire, made his court a center of learning, and inspired the Carolingian Renaissance. What was notable about his style of dress? [More...]( Today's Holiday International Children's Book Day [Discuss]( This day, which is observed by countries all over the world, is held on [Hans Christian Andersen]( birthday, April 2, because the Danish author's stories have been favorites among children of all nationalities. Celebrations include contests in which children illustrate their favorite books. Every two years the [International Board on Books for Young People]( sponsors the Hans Christian Andersen medals, which are awarded to a children's book author and a children's book illustrator for their contributions to [children's literature](s+literature). [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( And come he slow, or come he fast, It is but death who comes at last. 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