Definition: (noun) A central nervous system stimulant that increases energy and decreases appetite; used to treat narcolepsy and some forms of depression.
Synonyms: pep pill, upper, speed.
Usage: The doctor prescribed amphetamines to stimulate the narcoleptic patient's nervous system so that he would be less likely to unexpectedly fall asleep.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Servetus, a Spanish physician who was the first to accurately describe cardiopulmonary circulation, is perhaps best remembered for his theological writings, which ultimately led to his execution. His religious views, particularly his denial of the Trinity, alienated Roman Catholics and Protestants alike and led to his arrest and imprisonment in 1553. He escaped but was soon rearrested, convicted of heresy, and burned at the stake. What modern Christian sects consider him a spiritual ancestor? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Carlsbad Caverns in southern New Mexico was proclaimed a national monument in 1923 not only for its geologic formations but for its teeming bat population. Although many visitors to the park witness the bats’ spectacular outbound flight at sunset, far fewer witness their return—except those who attend the annual Bat Flight Breakfast. About 400 people arrive at the cave before sunrise on the second Thursday in August and eat sausages and scrambled eggs in their official yellow “bat breakfast hats” while they wait for the bats to return to their roosts. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Oakley took up hunting at age nine and soon earned a reputation as a “dead shot.” In her early 20s, she beat marksman Frank Butler in a shooting match and then married him. Together they joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Oakley’s famous act included hitting the thin edge of a playing card from 30 paces and shooting targets while looking into a mirror. She was also known for shooting the end off a cigarette held between Butler’s lips, a trick she once performed with what future head of state? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Pointillism, a Post-Impressionist school of painting exemplified by Georges Seurat and his followers in late 19th-century France, is characterized by the application of paint in small dots and brush strokes. These distinct points of primary colors create the visual effect of a wide selection of secondary colors, relying heavily on the viewer’s perceptive ability to mix the color spots into a full range of tones. The technique is analogous to the color production of what modern devices? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) One to whom something is sold; a buyer.
Synonyms: emptor, purchaser, buyer.
Usage: There were three vendees from three different companies at the auction, and each hoped to acquire the same valuable item.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
After likely arranging for her brothers Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV—to whom she was married, according to custom—to be killed, Cleopatra gained sole rule of Egypt. She later left for Rome with Julius Caesar but returned to Egypt after his assassination, luring Caesar’s heir, Mark Antony, into marriage. Octavian, whose sister Antony had previously married, declared war on Cleopatra and Antony and defeated their joint forces at the Battle of Actium. How did Cleopatra allegedly commit suicide? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Queen’s Birthday is a nationwide celebration in Thailand of the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit (b. 1932). Throughout the country, buildings are decorated to honor the queen, but the most splendid are in Bangkok, where buildings and streets are brilliant with colored lights. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In 1913, DeMille joined Jesse Lasky and Samuel Goldwyn to form the forerunner of Paramount Communications. Their first venture, The Squaw Man (1914), was the first full-length feature film produced in Hollywood. DeMille, known for his flamboyance and his taste for huge casts and extravagant sets, went on to make numerous comedies before creating biblical spectacles such as 1923’s The Ten Commandments. Which of DeMille’s films won an Academy Award for best picture in 1952? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced in South Africa for almost 50 years that was legally abolished in the early 1990s. Apartheid served not only to separate whites from non-whites, but also non-white groups from one another. The 1959 Sharpeville Massacre, in which police officers opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing 69 and injuring 186, was a major turning point in public opinion of South African apartheid. What does the word apartheid mean in Afrikaans? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary