Word of the Day, June 23, 2023

June 23, 2023 [The Free Dictionary]( Word of the Day [escarp]( [Discuss]( Definition: (noun) A steep artificial slope in front of a fortification. Synonyms: [protective embankment]( Usage: Instead of trying to breach the escarp, the army encircled the fortress, planning to starve out the inhabitants above. 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 [go under the hammer]( — To be put up for or sold at auction. ["More...]( [Idiom video]( Article of the Day Porcelain [Discuss]( Porcelain is a white, hard, nonporous pottery which is resonant when struck. It was first made by the Chinese to withstand the great heat generated in certain parts of their kilns. The two natural substances used were kaolin and a feldspar mineral called petuntse that forms a glassy cement. In Europe porcelain was first commercially produced in the early 1700s. Most of the European porcelain is soft paste and is not as strong as the Chinese hard-paste porcelain. What is bone china? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Transitive Verbs and Direct Objects [Discuss]( A transitive verb describes an action that is happening to something or someone, which is known as the verb's "direct object." For instance, in the sentence "I am reading a book," what is the direct object? [More...]( This Day in History Christopher Latham Sholes Granted Typewriter Patent (1868) [Discuss]( As a teen, American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes apprenticed with a printer and later became a newspaper publisher. In 1868, he, Carlos Glidden, and Samuel W. Soulé were granted a patent for their design for the first practical typewriter. Five years later, he sold his rights for $12,000 to the Remington Arms Co., which developed the Remington Typewriter. Sholes went on to invent the so-called QWERTY keyboard that is still in use today. Why did he arrange the letters in this unusual order? [More...]( Today's Birthday Oda Nobunaga (1534) [Discuss]( Nobunaga—son of a daimyo, or feudal lord—was a Japanese military commander and one of the three unifiers of premodern Japan, along with his general Toyotomi Hideyoshi and ally Tokugawa Ieyasu. One of the first Japanese generals to arm his foot soldiers with muskets, Nobunaga destroyed the armies of powerful Buddhist sects and greatly expanded his father's holdings. He also stimulated the economy through the use of the free market system. Nobunaga supported missionaries from what religion? [More...]( Today's Holiday Luxembourg National Day [Discuss]( On the eve of this national holiday, [Dudelange]( hosts a torchlight procession, and the castle at Wiltz hosts a fête in the courtyard. Fireworks, parades, special religious services, public concerts, and dancing comprise the elaborate celebration in the [capital city of Luxembourg](. On National Day, people assemble in the capital not only to celebrate their independence, but also to observe the official birthday of the Grand Duke. The people there identify strongly with their country and speak their own language, known as [Luxembourgeois](. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( I didn't want to work. It was as simple as that. I distrusted work, disliked it. I thought it was a very bad thing that the human race had unfortunately invented for itself. [Agatha Christie]( (1890-1976) 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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