Definition: (noun) Excessive or affected modesty.
Synonyms: Grundyism, primness, prudishness.
Usage: Casting prudery to the wind, I lifted my head, looked him in the eyes, and professed my undying love.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
Oh, hello, oganesson. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, the century-old organization charged with maintaining the periodic table, finally announced it had approved the names of four new elements. These monikers, attached to new … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Brown was a radical US abolitionist who advocated armed action to end slavery. He and his supporters murdered five proslavery settlers in Kansas in 1856, and three years later he tried to start an armed liberation movement among slaves by seizing the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, intending to arm local slaves with its weapons. His small force was soon overpowered, and Brown was captured, tried for treason, convicted, and hanged. What went wrong during the raid? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Gospel Day in the Marshall Islands is similar to Thanksgiving day in the US. The Marshallese people attend church on this day to commemorate the first missionaries who brought the light of God to the Marshall Islands. The largest church in the Marshall Islands is the United Church of Christ; however, many other Protestant denominations have churches in the Marshall Islands, including Assembly of God, Baptist, and Seventh Day Adventists. In addition, the Catholic Church has established a strong presence in the islands. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
A German painter and printmaker, Dix fought in World War I and returned haunted by what he had witnessed. After experimenting with Impressionism and Dada, he arrived at Expressionism and began producing works depicting nightmarish scenes of the horrors of war and the depravities of a decadent society. His antimilitary works aroused the wrath of the Nazi regime and he was dismissed from his academic posts in 1933. On what charges was he arrested in 1939? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The lexical compilations known as dictionaries have taken many forms throughout the ages. The earliest dictionaries were created by the Greeks in the first century CE, while multilingual dictionaries emerged during the Middle Ages. Though today’s lexica contain alphabetized word lists, until the 18th century, English dictionaries were predominantly organized by topic. What were some of the distinctly American words that Noah Webster first documented in his 1828 dictionary? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (verb) To issue a thunderous verbal attack or denunciation.
Synonyms: rail.
Usage: He fulminated against corruption in governmental institutions.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
The saltmarsh sparrow could soon become the first bird to go extinct in the continental United States in more than eighty years, according to a new report from the Connecticut Audubon Society. The population of saltmarsh sparrows, which reside on the East Coast … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Following the death of Henry, the cardinal-king of Portugal, in 1580, Philip II of Spain assumed control of Portugal by force of arms. The “Spanish captivity” lasted for 60 years. Finally, in 1640, the Portuguese took advantage of Philip IV’s preoccupation with a rebellion in Catalonia and revolted. The Portuguese dethroned him and reclaimed independence for Portugal. Undeterred, Philip fought for decades to regain control of Portugal. When did Spain finally recognize Portugal’s independence? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
This public holiday commemorates the restoration of Portugal’s independence from Spain on December 1, 1640. Philip II (1527-1598) of Spain assumed control of Portugal in 1580 upon the death of Henry, prince of Portugal, and the “Spanish captivity” lasted for 60 years. Revolution began in Lisbon, and, in 1640, the Portuguese dethroned Philip IV (1605-1665; grandson of Philip II) and reclaimed independence for Portugal. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary