Definition: (noun) A room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter.
Synonyms: bar, ginmill, saloon.
Usage: I go to a local taproom after work every Friday and unwind over a pint.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The first modern, hand-thrown grenades were in use as early as the 15th century, but they fell out of favor as the increasing range and accuracy of firearms lessened opportunities for close combat. However, their effectiveness in World War I trench warfare made hand grenades a standard part of the combat infantryman’s equipment once again. Though one of the more recognizable grenade models is sometimes called a “pin-and-pineapple,” grenades get their name from what other fruit? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) Something of sentimental value.
Synonyms: souvenir, relic, token.
Usage: I had no keepsake to speak to me of my lost darling but the flag which she had embroidered with her own hand.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
According to the Bible, two thieves were crucified with Jesus. The one on his right, traditionally called Dismas, repented and was promised, “Today thou shalt be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). He is therefore the patron saint of persons condemned to death. In the United States, the National Catholic Prison Chaplains’ Association, by special permission from Rome, observes the second Sunday in October as Good Thief Sunday and holds masses in American prisons in honor of St. Dismas. March 25 is also the Feast of the Annunciation. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Mars is similar to Earth in a number of ways: It has a 24.6-hour day and may have once had liquid water on its surface. Though life on Mars would likely resemble bacteria if it existed at all, the idea of human-like beings living on Mars has long captivated humanity. After American astronomer Percival Lowell came to believe, in the 1890s, that Mars had intelligently built canals, many science-fiction authors began to write about Martians. What effectively ended the trend of Martians in fiction? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (verb) To waste time, especially in indecision; dawdle or vacillate.
Synonyms: drag one’s feet, procrastinate, stall, shillyshally.
Usage: If you continue to dilly-dally, we will be late for choir practice.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
Though World War II ended in 1945, military conscription in the US continued in peacetime, and in 1957, the 22-year-old “King of Rock and Roll” was drafted for a two-year stint in the army. Despite concerns about his career, Presley did not try to avoid service and was inducted into the army at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, in a ceremony mobbed by photographers. Five months later, and just a month before he was shipped out to Germany, Presley was granted a short emergency leave for what reason? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Though most people associate the invention of the dirigible with German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin, it was Schwarz, a Croatian wood merchant, who designed the first rigid airship. His first model collapsed upon inflation, but in 1897, his second prototype flew briefly. Its frame was built of aluminum, a relatively new material at that time. Sadly, Schwarz never saw his creation airborne—he died before its maiden flight. Why do some believe that Zeppelin’s design was based on Schwarz’s work? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) Something serving to conceal plans; a fictitious reason that is concocted in order to conceal the real reason.
Synonyms: pretext.
Usage: Steve said he needed a book from the library, but that was just a stalking-horse to talk to the girl who worked behind the counter.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
In the troubled period following WWI, Mussolini organized his followers, mostly veterans, into a paramilitary organization that promoted aggressive nationalism and violently opposed communism and socialism. Amid strikes, unrest, and governmental failure, Mussolini advocated the use of force to restore order. In 1921, his Fasci di Combattimento became the Fascist Party, planting the seeds for the regime that would rule Italy for nearly 20 years. What title did Mussolini choose for himself? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary