factory – Originally a place where traders did their business in another country, based on Latin factorium, “an oil press” (for olive oil). More…
oil – From Latin oleum, from Greek elaion, “olive oil; other oily substance.” More…
salmagundi – First a dish of chopped meat and eggs, highly seasoned and served with lemon juice and olive oil. More…
Maskal is a Christian festival in Ethiopia to commemorate what is believed to have been the finding of the True Cross, the cross on which Christ was crucified. In communities throughout the nation, a tall pole called a demara is set up and topped with a cross. Families place smaller demaras against the big one, and in the evening they are made into a huge bonfire. Religious ceremonies are performed around the bonfire, with songs and dancing. The ashes of the burned-out fire are considered holy, and the people place the powder of the ashes on their foreheads. Discuss
A place, location, or high-occupancy vehicle (especially a ship) that is inexplicably deserted or abandoned. An allusion to the Mary Celeste, an American merchant brigantine that was discovered floating off the Azores Islands in 1872 with no one on board and still in seaworthy condition. (Note: The variant spelling of “Marie” is the more common usage for the idiomatic reference, likely due to its use in a story by Arthur Conan Doyle.) Watch the video
The deathstalker scorpion stalks the deserts and scrublands of the Middle East and North Africa. Ranging in color from bright green to straw yellow, the deathstalker lives up to its nickname—its venom is a cocktail of neurotoxins that can kill humans, especially those who are very young or old or who have pre-existing medical conditions. Despite the inherent danger, some people keep these deadly creatures as pets. How can the deathstalker’s venom be used therapeutically? Discuss
Definition: (adjective) Kept or done in secret, often in order to conceal an illicit or improper purpose.
Synonyms: hush-hush, cloak-and-dagger, undercover, underground, hole-and-corner, hugger-mugger, secret, surreptitious.
Usage: The clandestine affairs of the congressman are being investigated by the ethics committee.
Discuss
wine cradle – A basket (etc.) used to hold wine at a slant. More…
slant – A variant of slent, an older word. More…
slash – The slash is also called a virgule, diagonal, separatrix, slant, and solidus. More…
tilt – Originally meant “fall over,” from Germanic taltaz, “unsteady,” long before it meant “slant.” More…
Yemen observes two Revolution Days: one commemorates the revolutionary movement that overthrew the monarchy of Imam Muhammad al-Badr on September 26, 1962, and helped pave the way for the creation of the Yemen Arab Republic. Before that could occur, however, British occupation of the area remained another force impeding independence. Revolts against the British then ensued in 1962-63, and, by 1967, the British granted Yemen its sovereignty. These revolts are commemorated on October 14. Discuss
To marry someone solely or primarily to have access to their personal wealth. Watch the video
Chiptune music is created by manipulating the sound chips of the early gaming systems and microcomputers of the 1980s. Though some chiptune musicians use emulators to replicate gaming system sounds on modern computers, much chiptune music is composed—and “played” in live settings—with the original sound chips of devices like the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Game Boy, Atari, and Commodore 64. The chiptune music scene was recently the subject of what documentary? Discuss
Definition: (adjective) Impossible to remove, erase, or wash away; permanent.
Synonyms: permanent, lasting, enduring, ineradicable, ineffaceable, inexpungible, inextirpable.
Usage: Before I left for camp, my mother wrote my name inside all of my clothes with indelible ink.
Discuss