Word of the Day, August 20, 2023

August 20, 2023 [The Free Dictionary]( Word of the Day [recant]( [Discuss]( Definition: (verb) Formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure. Synonyms: [abjure]( [forswear]( [retract]( [resile]( Usage: The dissident refused to recant and was imprisoned. 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 [the happy day]( — A wedding, or marriage in general. ["More...]( [Idiom video]( Article of the Day The Highland Potato Famine (1846-1857) [Discuss]( In the mid 19th century, at a time when most of the crofters, or tenants, of the Scottish Highlands were dependent on potatoes as a source of food, their potato crops were blighted with a terrible fungal disease that caused the crop to fail for the next ten years. The blight was similar to the contemporaneous Irish Potato Famine, but the latter was perhaps more severe and closer to a true famine. What was the landlords' solution to the problem of starving crofters? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Ellipses [Discuss]( An ellipsis is a series of three consecutive periods known as ellipsis points ( . . . ) used to indicate where words have been omitted from quoted text. When are brackets placed around ellipses? [More...]( This Day in History Republic of Senegal Declares Its Independence (1960) [Discuss]( First colonized by the Portuguese, Senegal became part of French West Africa in 1895. In 1946, it became an overseas territory of France, and its inhabitants were made French citizens. In 1958, Senegal became an autonomous republic within the French Community. The next year, Senegal joined the Mali Federation, which became independent in June 1960. Two months later, Senegal withdrew from the federation, becoming an independent state. What small nation does Senegal almost entirely surround? [More...]( Today's Birthday H.P. Lovecraft (1890) [Discuss]( A master of Gothic horror, fantasy, and science fiction, Howard Phillips Lovecraft was an American writer particularly noted for his many nightmarish short stories, most of which originally appeared in Weird Tales and other pulp magazines. Some of his best-known tales are part of the Cthulhu Mythos series, in which he invents an entire mythology of earthly origins, gods, and hideous otherworldly creatures. Many of Lovecraft's stories mention the Necronomicon, which is what? [More...]( Today's Holiday St. Stephen's Day (Hungary) [Discuss]( The founding of [Hungary]( is commemorated on August 20, which is also the feast day of the founder of the country, [St. Stephen of Hungary]( (c. 975-1038). He assumed the kingship in 1000 and worked to unite the various clans into a single Christian state. In 1950, the day was changed to Constitution Day by the [communist regime](s+Republic+of+Hungary), but it began celebrating St. Stephen again in 1990. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities. [Herman Melville]( (1819-1891) 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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