April 10, 2023 [The Free Dictionary]( Word of the Day [helicon](
[Discuss](
Definition: (noun) A tuba that coils over the shoulder of the musician.
Synonyms: [bombardon](
Usage: As the marching band strolled by, Karen could see that the small boy carrying the giant helicon was sweating profusely.
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 [don't get me started](
— An exclamation of weariness or despair regarding a topic that has just been introduced and about which the speaker feels very strongly and (usually) has a negative opinion of. ["More...](
[Idiom video](
Article of the Day Ginkgo
[Discuss](
The ginkgo is a tall and slender picturesque deciduous tree with fan-shaped leaves. A "living fossil," the ginkgo is the only remaining species of a large order of gymnosperms that existed in the Triassic period; its form has not changed in millions of years. A combination of amazing disease resistance, insect-resistant wood, and the ability to form aerial roots and sprouts helps ginkgoes live more than 2,000 years. Where does the name "ginkgo biloba" come from?
[More...](
Daily Grammar Lesson Defining the Active Voice
[Discuss](
The active voice is a type of grammatical voice in which the subject of a sentence is also the agent of the verb—that is, it performs the action expressed by the verb. Why is the active voice typically preferable to the passive voice?
[More...](
This Day in History 10,500 Besieged Residents Flee Messolonghi (1826)
[Discuss](
Messolonghi was a major stronghold of Greek insurgents in the Greek War of Independence. Its inhabitants successfully resisted a siege by forces of the Ottoman Empire in 1822 and 1823 and held out heroically against a second siege from 1825 to 1826, when the Ottomans captured the town. Facing starvation after a year of relentless attacks, the people of Messolonghi—approximately 10,500—finally decided to leave the beleaguered city on the night of April 10, 1826. What happened when they left?
[More...](
Today's Birthday Samuel Hahnemann (1755)
[Discuss](
Hahnemann was a German physician who created the form of alternative medicine known as homeopathy. Unsatisfied with the state of medicine at the time, Hahnemann looked for an alternative. Struck by the similarity of the symptoms quinine produces in healthy individuals to those of the disorder it cures, he theorized that "like cures like" and that drugs which produce the same symptoms as certain diseases should be used in small doses to treat those diseases. Why did he discourage drinking coffee?
[More...](
Today's Holiday Salvation Army Founder's Day
[Discuss](
April 10 is the day on which [William Booth]( (1829-1912), founder of the international religious and charitable movement known as [The Salvation Army]( was born in [Nottingham]( England. With the help of his wife, Catherine, he established the East London Revival Society, which soon became known as the Christian Mission and later The Salvation Army. Although Booth's birthday is observed to varying degrees at Salvation Army outposts around the world, a major celebration was held on the organization's centennial in 1965.
[More...](
Quote of the Day [Discuss](
When writing about transcendental issues, be transcendentally clear. [Rene Descartes]( (1596-1650)
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. [Apple]( [Android]( [Kindle]( [Windows](
[The Free Dictionary Pro App] The PRO version, with expanded offline content. - No ads.
- A more comprehensive English offline dictionary, plus 13 other offline dictionaries: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian, Greek, Arabic, Polish, Turkish, and Russian.
- Offline translations of English into more than 40 languages, plus dozens of other offline translation options.
- Plus all the content of the classic free app! [Apple]( [Android]( [Kindle]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Forward](mailto:?subject=Word of%20the%20Day%20from%20TheFreeDictionary&body=Hi%20there!%20Thought%20you%20would%20find%20this%20interesting!%0A%0AWant%20to%20learn%20a%20new%20word%20every%20day?%20https%3A%2F%2Fword-of-the-day.thefreedictionary.com%2Fsubscribe.aspx) | [Terms of Use]( | [Privacy policy]( | [Advertise here]( [TheFreeDictionary logo] © 2023 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.