Definition: (adjective) Generally incompetent and ineffectual.
Synonyms: inept.
Usage: Much to his wife's dismay, Jim refused to call a professional, and continued his feckless attempts at repairing the plumbing in the house.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
Think your kids grow fast? Scientists say one dinosaur baby went from tiny to a true titan in the blink of a prehistoric eye. At birth, titanosaur babies weighed about as much as average human babies, 6 to 8 pounds. But in just a few weeks, they were … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Battle of Clontarf was a decisive battle fought between Irish forces under the high king of Ireland, Brian Boru, and a Viking army formed by Sitric, king of the Dublin Norse. Brian’s forces defeated the Vikings at Clontarf, near Dublin, but he was killed shortly thereafter by fleeing Norsemen. Brian’s victory broke Viking power in Ireland, but, without a king, the country split into small, separate kingdoms that then fought one another. What was Wolf the Quarrelsome’s role in the battle? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
This festival was started in 1920 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, who recognized how important children were to his country’s future and dedicated this day to them. On this national public holiday, Atatürk is honored with special services in Ankara, Turkey’s capital city, at the monument built for him. Afterward, a children’s program takes place in which children from around the world wear festive traditional costumes and dance and sing. In Istanbul, a similar celebration is held in the national soccer stadium. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
A precocious performer known for her dimples and golden curls, Temple was a child actress who became America’s most popular female star and Hollywood’s top box office attraction in the Great Depression era. In 1934, she made nine movies, leaping to stardom with Little Miss Marker and winning a special Academy Award that year. She effectively retired from moviemaking in 1950. As an adult, Temple served as a US delegate to the UN General Assembly and as US ambassador to what countries? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Buzkashi is a traditional Central Asian team sport in which players on horseback try to grab the carcass of a headless goat or calf and pitch it across a goal line or into a target circle or vat. Although it is known as a popular Afghani sport, Buzkashi began as a sport of the steppes, a vast, prairie-like ecoregion of Eurasia, and remains a popular game throughout the region. Games can last for several days, and competition is fierce. How is the animal carcass prepared before a game? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (verb) To cause to expand by or as if by internal pressure; dilate.
Synonyms: dilate.
Usage: It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
When you check into a hotel room or stay with a friend, is your first night of sleep disturbed? Do you toss and turn, mind strangely alert, unable to shut down in the usual way? If so, you’re in good company. This phenomenon is called the first-night … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The first Earth Day was organized in 1970 to promote ecological ideas, encourage respect for life on earth, and highlight growing concern over pollution of the soil, air, and water. Earth Day is now observed in more than 140 nations with outdoor performances, exhibits, street fairs, and television programs that focus on environmental issues. In 1990, Earth Day was marked by an “International Peace Climb,” in which climbers from the US, Soviet Union, and China scaled what peak together? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Passover is an eight-day celebration (seven days in Israel and for Reform Jews) of the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. Jewish families today eat a ceremonial dinner called the Seder at which they retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt and eat various symbolic foods—including meat of the Paschal Lamb, bitter herbs, and wine (symbolizing the fruitfulness of the earth). The matzoh (unleavened bread) is meant to symbolize the haste with which the Jews left. In strictly religious Jewish homes today, all foods made with leavening are prohibited during this season. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary