Definition: (noun) Desecration, profanation, misuse, or theft of something sacred.
Synonyms: blasphemy, desecration, profanation.
Usage: I entreat you, if you be a Christian gentleman, not to kill me, which will be committing grave sacrilege, for I am a licentiate and I hold first orders.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
Nuclear war. Runaway climate change. A global pandemic. Today our world faces all manner of existential threats. But scary possibilities like these are nothing compared to what astronomers say lies in store for Earth. Our planet’s ultimate destiny is … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
By the end of the Blitz—Germany’s eight-month nighttime bombing campaign in Britain—tens of thousands of people were dead and millions of homes lay in ruins. For about a two-month period, the country faced nightly attacks. One of the worst raids occurred on December 29, when much of London—including such historic landmarks as St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Guildhall—was destroyed or damaged by bombs and the fires they started. How many children were evacuated to the countryside during the Blitz? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In 1869, Elisabeth of Wied, the daughter of a German prince, married the future king of Romania, Carol I. An artistic and imaginative queen consort, she wrote prolifically—in four languages—under the pseudonym Carmen Sylva. She composed poetry, plays, novels, and essays, at times collaborating with her lady-in-waiting. Her 1882 collection of witty aphorisms won a French literary award. Despite knowing it was illegal, she is said to have encouraged her nephew—the heir to the throne—to do what? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Ragweeds are flowering plants of the genus Ambrosia, most of which are native to America. The pollen of the weedy herbs is recognized as the primary cause of hay fever in eastern and middle North America. Its effects are exacerbated by the fact that ragweeds—which are anemophilous, or wind-pollinated—are each thought to be able to produce about one billion grains of pollen in a single season. For what other reasons is ragweed so difficult to eradicate? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) An object or a source of fear, dread, or harassment.
Synonyms: bugbear.
Usage: But this encompassment of her own characterization … was a sorry and mistaken creation of Tess's fancy—a cloud of moral hobgoblins by which she was terrified without reason.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
Imagine a cat that can keep a person company, doesn’t need a litter box and can remind an aging relative to take her medicine or help find her eyeglasses. That’s the vision of toymaker Hasbro and scientists at Brown University, who have received a three-year, $1 million … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The first church built on the site of what is now Westminster Abbey is believed to date from the early 7th century. Around 1050, King Edward the Confessor began rebuilding it. A week after the consecration of the new church, he died. William the Conqueror then launched the Norman invasion and, a year later, was crowned at Westminster Abbey—which would later house Edward’s shrine. Nearly every British sovereign since then has been crowned in the abbey. What do they sit on during the coronation? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Ambani was born in rural Gujarat, India, to a family of modest means. As a youth, he worked in Yemen, then returned to India to found Reliance Industries. Originally an importer of synthetics, Ambani went into textile production, establishing his Vimal brand as a household name in India. As the company diversified into chemicals and power, he became a billionaire. At his death, his sons inherited one of the largest companies in India—but squabbled over ownership. How was the conflict resolved? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Originally invented by Nikola Tesla to study high voltage phenomena, plasma lamps are now widely available novelty items. The lamps, generally gas-filled orbs, contain an electrode that ionizes the gas, producing beams of colored light. Placing one’s hand near such an orb alters its high-frequency electric field, causing a single beam to migrate from the electrode to the point of contact. Do plasma lamps have any practical applications? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary