Definition: (noun) A concise reference book providing specific information about a subject or location.
Synonyms: handbook, vade mecum.
Usage: Over the years, the prisoner had spent time memorizing every enchiridion he could find and had become a virtual encyclopedia of knowledge.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
One of the oldest amusement parks still in operation, Denmark’s Tivoli Gardens opened in 1843 with a variety of attractions, including a theatre, bandstands, amusement rides, and, of course, flower gardens. Tivoli is said to have inspired Walt Disney’s plans for his own park. Today, the park is best known for its wooden roller coaster, built in 1914. What did Tivoli founder Georg Carstensen reportedly tell King Christian VIII about the park to obtain a five-year charter for the site? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Prince’s Birthday is a national holiday in Lichtenstein. The country is a constitutional monarchy formerly headed by Prince Franz Joseph II, who turned over power to his son, Hans-Adam II, in 1984. Franz Joseph II was born on Aug. 16, 1905, but his birthday is celebrated on Aug. 15, the day of the Feast of the Assumption. Celebrations take place in the capital city of Vaduz; festivities include an open house at the prince’s home and castle, Schloss Vaduz, dancing in the streets, special food in the cafes, and fireworks in the evening. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
John Metcalf, popularly known as Blind Jack, was a civil engineer and the first professional road builder of the Industrial Revolution. He lost his sight to a smallpox infection at age six and earned a living in early adulthood as a fiddle player. Though he was unable to see, he swam, played cards, rode horses, and even hunted. In 1765, Parliament passed an act authorizing turnpike building, and he won a contract to build a new road. How many miles of roadway is Metcalf said to have built? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The poppy family is composed chiefly of herbs from the Northern Hemisphere that have characteristic milky or colored sap. Most species are native to the Old World, and many are cultivated in gardens for their brilliantly colored, if short-lived, blossoms. The opium poppy is grown for its opium as well as for its seeds for cooking and baking. The poppy has been the symbol of the dead and of sleep since antiquity. In many countries, the poppy is worn to commemorate what holiday? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) Sheer material, such as gauze or fine lace, used for veils.
Synonyms: netting, gauze.
Usage: The seamstress attached a lace trim to the veiling, so that it would match the bride's dress.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
During the Great Depression, millions of people dissatisfied with the government response to the poor economy supported a plan to demand a $200 monthly pension for everyone over the age of 60. President Franklin D. Roosevelt responded by establishing a committee on economic security, which recommended legislative action to the US Congress. The resulting act established a national old-age pension system financed by a payroll tax on employers and employees. Who is eligible for Social Security? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
El Misterio d’Elx, or the Mystery Play of Elche, is a medieval drama about the assumption of the Virgin Mary that takes place on August 14-15 in Elche, in Valencia, Spain. The first part of the play, performed on August 14, deals with the death of the Virgin and the ascension of her soul to heaven. In the second part, performed on August 15, the Virgin is buried and the Gate of Heaven opens. She is crowned at the heavenly portal while organ music plays, bells ring, and firecrackers explode. The mystery play is performed in the sanctuary of the Church of La Merced. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Galsworthy was an English novelist and dramatist who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1932. Though once popular for his socially conscious plays, he is best remembered today for his series of novels tracing the history of a fictional family from the 1880s to the 1920s. Spanning three trilogies, the series sympathetically examines the lives of the many memorable members of the wealthy, snobbish, and complacent Forsyte family. Galsworthy gave up a career in what field to be a writer? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The modern Highland Games began in the 1780s as an organized effort to revive Scottish Highland traditions. These celebrations of Scottish and Celtic heritage center around competitions in piping, drumming, dancing, and Scottish heavy athletics. The caber toss, in which a competitor balances a long, heavy wooden pole vertically and then tosses it, has become a recognized symbol of the Highland Games. What other feats of strength are often included in the Games’ athletic competitions? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary