Word of the Day, June 6, 2023

June 6, 2023 [The Free Dictionary]( Word of the Day [windsock]( [Discuss]( Definition: (noun) A tapered, open-ended sleeve pivotally attached to a standard, that indicates the direction of the wind blowing through it. Synonyms: [drogue]( [air sock]( [wind cone]( Usage: The air traffic controller noted that the airport's windsock was fully extended. 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 [be potty about (something)]( — To be very excited or enthusiastic (about something). Primarily heard in UK. ["More...]( [Idiom video]( Article of the Day Cellophane [Discuss]( Cellophane is a thin, transparent sheet or tube of regenerated cellulose, which is the chief constituent of the cell walls of plants. It is used in packaging, as a membrane for dialysis, and can be moisture-proofed. Invented in 1908, cellophane is made by dissolving cellulose alkali, aging it, then regenerating it by forcing it through a slit into a dilute acid solution where it precipitates. Cellophane sales have dwindled because of the presence of what pollutant in its production process? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Defining the Em Dash [Discuss]( When we refer to dashes, we are usually referring to em dashes. In appearance, an em dash is slightly longer than an en dash, approximately the width of a capital M. What is the em dash primarily used to indicate? [More...]( This Day in History First Drive-In Theater Opens in New Jersey (1933) [Discuss]( The drive-in theater was the creation of New Jersey chemical company magnate Richard M. Hollingshead, Jr. In 1932, Hollingshead nailed a screen to trees in his backyard and set a projector on the hood of his car. After applying for a patent for his creation, Hollingshead opened the first drive-in the next year. Though it only operated for three years, the concept soon caught on in other states. How many drive-ins are estimated to have existed in the US at the height of their popularity? [More...]( Today's Birthday Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799) [Discuss]( Among the giants of Russian literature, Pushkin was a poet and writer whose masterpieces include the poem The Bronze Horseman, the drama The Stone Guest, and his verse novel Eugene Onegin, which contains witty descriptions of 19th-century Russian society. Pushkin established the modern poetic language of Russia, using Russian history for the basis of many works, but his career was cut short when he died after a duel with a young Frenchman. How old was he when he died? [More...]( Today's Holiday D-Day [Discuss]( This day marks the start of the Allied invasion of [occupied France]( in 1944, which led to the final defeat of Hitler's Germany the following May. About 3,000 ships transported 130,000 British, Canadian, and American troops across the English Channel to land on the beaches of [Normandy](. Airborne troops began parachuting into Normandy at 15 minutes past midnight on [June 6]( and Landing Craft Transports plowed through the surf to spill troops onto the beaches. About 10,000 troops were killed or wounded that day. Each year, simple ceremonies at the Normandy cemeteries commemorate the men who fell. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( Man is the unnatural animal, the rebel child of nature, and more and more does he turn himself against the harsh and fitful hand that reared him. [H.G. 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