Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong. Discuss
Month: November 2020
recognize
recognition mark – A distinctive one that makes an animal or bird easy to recognize by others of the same species. More…
cognizance – Latin gnoscene, “know,” begat cognoscere, “get to know; recognize,” and it moved through French connoissance to English to become cognizance. More…
sentence sense – The ability to recognize a grammatically complete sentence. More…
appreciate, recognize, understand – The use of “appreciate” should involve valuing something or understanding it sympathetically; when there is no value or sympathy, use “recognize” or “understand”; appreciate first meant “set at a price; appraised.” More…
Bonn Om Tuk (Festival of the Reversing Current)
The Festival of the Reversing Current is a festival and national holiday to celebrate a natural phenomenon in Cambodia. Tonlé Sap, a lake, is connected to the Mekong River by the Tonle Sap River, which normally flows south from the lake. But during the rainy season, the flood-swollen Mekong backs up and flows backward through the Tonle Sap River into the lake. The normal southward flow returns when the dry season starts. The festival, held at the time when the Tonle Sap returns to its normal direction, is a time of fireworks, merrymaking, and races of pirogues, or long canoes, at Phnom Penh. Discuss
have (something) going for (one)
To have something that is favorable, beneficial, or advantageous to one. Watch the video
Human Branding
Historically, human branding—the practice of burning marks or patterns into the skin of a living person—was used to mark slaves and criminals. The ancient Romans branded runaway slaves with the letters FUG, for fugitivus. Until the 1800s, hot irons were used to brand British criminals with letters specific to their crimes. Today, human branding is generally voluntary and is used as body decoration or as an act of initiation to gangs. What religious sect practices human branding? Discuss
empennage
Mary Shelley
What terrified me will terrify others; and I need only describe the specter which had haunted my midnight pillow. Discuss
ships
nauscopy – The ability to sight land or ships at a distance. More…
spring a leak – First referred to ships, describing the way the timbers sprang out of position and let in water. More…
square meal – May derive from the square platters used for serving meals on ships. More…
longshoremen – When sailors passed goods from the ships to men along the shore, those men came to be called longshoremen. More…
Grey Cup
The best teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences of the Canadian Football League play against each other in an annual event similar to the Super Bowl in the United States. It is called the Grey Cup after the trophy that is awarded to the winning team—a cup donated by former Canadian Governor-General Earl Grey in 1909. Parties are held throughout the country so that fans can get together to watch the big game on television. In sports and social clubs, it is not uncommon to set up two televisions so that rival supporters can each watch their own team. Discuss
have done with (someone or something)
To be finished with someone or something; to cease being involved with someone or something. Watch the video