Word of the Day, July 26, 2023

July 26, 2023 [The Free Dictionary]( Word of the Day [borecole]( [Discuss]( Definition: (noun) A hardy cabbage with coarse curly leaves that do not form a head. Synonyms: [kale]( [Brassica oleracea acephala]( [colewort]( Usage: The aristocrats did not enjoy the health benefits of borecole because they considered it a peasant's food. 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 [good gracious]( — A mild exclamation of surprise, alarm, dismay, annoyance, or exasperation. ["More...]( [Idiom video]( Article of the Day Gelatin [Discuss]( Gelatin is a foodstuff largely composed of denatured collagen, a protein that is readily digested and absorbed. It is found in the connective tissue of the cartilage, hoofs, and tendons of vertebrate animals and is extracted by the action of boiling water or dilute acid. Gelatin swells to an elastic, transparent mass when placed in contact with cold water and takes up to 10 times its own weight. It is an important food stabilizer, thickener and texturizer. What is gelatin's ballistic use? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Generic "You" [Discuss]( The second-person pronouns are also often used to indicate an unspecified person. This is sometimes referred to as "generic you," "impersonal you," or "indefinite you." This is less formal than its counterpart, the pronoun "one," but it is sometimes preferred. Why? [More...]( This Day in History Wagner's Parsifal Premieres in the Bayreuth Festival Theatre (1882) [Discuss]( Loosely based on Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival—the medieval epic poem of the Arthurian knight Parzival and his quest for the Holy Grail—Parsifal is a three-act opera by German composer Richard Wagner. The opera was first conceived in 1857 but not completed until 25 years later. It premiered in 1882 at the second Bayreuth Festival, where it was performed exclusively until 1903. What tradition has arisen among the audience at performances of Parsifal at Bayreuth? [More...]( Today's Birthday George Bernard Shaw (1856) [Discuss]( Shaw was an Irish playwright and critic who revolutionized the Victorian stage, authoring more than 60 plays, including Man and Superman and Pygmalion, his comedic masterpiece. Nearly all of his works mix a vein of comedy with stern social commentary—on subjects including education, marriage, religion, government, and class privilege. Shaw was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925 and is the only person to have received both it and what other award? [More...]( Today's Holiday Liberia Independence Day [Discuss]( This especially important [Liberian]( holiday is celebrated with a parade, a party for the diplomatic corps in [Monrovia]( and a grand ball in the evening. Similar events are held throughout the country. The day commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1847 by the various settlements of the country, establishing the first independent black republic in Africa. After independence, elections were held, and [Joseph Jenkins Roberts]( was elected the first president in January 1848. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy. [Robert Louis Stevenson]( (1850-1894) 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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