Word of the Day, May 14, 2023

May 14, 2023 [The Free Dictionary]( Word of the Day [sobriquet]( [Discuss]( Definition: (noun) An affectionate or humorous nickname. Synonyms: [cognomen]( [moniker]( [nickname]( [soubriquet]( Usage: Usually he saw things long before others were aware that there was anything to see—a trait that had won for him the sobriquet of Hawk. 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 [a wild goose never laid a tame egg]( — Something will not be spontaneously different from that which came before. The phrase is used to describe things that are determined by nature and the environment, or else inherited from the generation before. ["More...]( [Idiom video]( Article of the Day Merkava [Discuss]( The Merkava series of main battle tanks is developed and manufactured by Israel Military Industries, Ltd for the Israel Defense Forces. It is designed to ensure crew survival, battle perseverance, and quick revival in case of bad damage, though it is still is vulnerable to remotely operated land mines. The heavily shielded engine is placed at the front of the tank, while the crew is able to escape through doors at the rear. When and why did Israel decide to develop the Merkava? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Reflexive Pronouns as Direct Objects in the Middle Voice [Discuss]( Many middle-voice verbs are transitive verbs and therefore require a direct object in the form of a reflexive pronoun. Without a reflexive pronoun, what happens to the receiver of the action? [More...]( This Day in History Skylab Is Launched (1973) [Discuss]( Launched into orbit in 1973, Skylab was the first US space station. It carried a laboratory for studying the human body's adaptation to weightlessness and a powerful solar telescope. Three successive astronaut crews conducted research aboard Skylab for a total of 171 days in 1973–74. Though Skylab was intended to be reused, increased solar activity caused its orbit to degrade faster than expected. In 1979, the 75-tonne station reentered Earth's atmosphere and broke up. Where did the debris land? [More...]( Today's Birthday Charles Peace (1832) [Discuss]( Peace was a notorious English burglar and murderer whose life spawned many romanticized works of fiction, including dozens of novels and films and even a comic strip. After stints in prison and a criminal career spanning decades, Peace was finally captured and imprisoned on charges of burglary and the attempted murder of a police officer. He was then tried for a past murder and was sentenced to death. Peace is mentioned by name in what Sherlock Holmes short story? [More...]( Today's Holiday Dhungri Fair [Discuss]( This is a festival celebrated by Hindu women from the hills near [Manali]( at the north end of the Kullu Valley in the Himachal Pradesh State of India. A small wooden temple known as the [Hidimba (or Dhungri) Temple]( stands among cedar trees near Manali. The women gather here to honor the goddess [Hidimba]( who fell in love with Bhima and became his wife in the famous Hindu epic Mahabharata, with a traditional dance. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( I needed some real danger and some mortal risk to run, to tranquilize me. [Alexandre Dumas]( (1802-1870) 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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