heart – As the seat of feeling and intellect, heart has been used since around 825. More…
intellect, intelligent – Intellect and intelligent come from Latin intelligere, “perceive” or “understand.” More…
intelligible – Means “understandable through the intellect.” More…
inwit – Usually means “an inner sense of right or wrong,” but its more general meaning is “reason, intellect, understanding, or wisdom.” More…
Armed Forces Day in Egypt is an important national holiday marking the surprise attack on Israel that began the October War of 1973 (also known as the Yom Kippur War). The war ended with a cease-fire secured by the US and was declared a victory by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, enabling him to seek an honorable peace with Israel. The holiday is celebrated with grand parades, speeches by government officials, and fireworks. It was while reviewing a military parade on this day in 1981 that Anwar Sadat was assassinated by opponents of peace with Israel. Discuss
Less guilty or worthy of blame than others, especially those who have injured or laid such blame or guilt upon one. Watch the video
Inbreeding is the mating of two closely related organisms. Some animals are inbred to select for desired traits and avoid others. Inbreeding is generally discouraged among humans because harmful recessive genes are likely to be passed on to offspring, causing health problems, including growth and fertility issues. Inbreeding likely hastened the end of the Spanish Habsburg dynasty, as Charles II was both impotent and infertile. What deformity worsened throughout the generations of Habsburgs? Discuss
Definition: (adjective) Pleasing to the ear.
Synonyms: mellisonant, dulcet, sweet.
Usage: Her mellifluous voice could make him agree to anything.
Discuss
Apgar score – A measure of a baby’s well-being taking into consideration respiratory effort, skin color, heart rate, muscle tone, and sense of smell (named for American anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar). More…
datum line – The horizontal or base line, from which the heights of points are reckoned or measured, as in the plan of a railway, etc. More…
scantling – Means “measured or prescribed size” or a “set of standard dimensions.” More…
military time – Time measured on a 24-hour scale of 0100-2400 hours. More…
October 9 is the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which killed more than 250 people and destroyed more than 17,000 structures. Every year since 1925, the week in which October 9 falls has been observed nationwide as National Fire Prevention Week. Each year, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announces a theme for National Fire Prevention Week and sets up programs to educate the public about a particular aspect of fire prevention. For example, one past theme was the importance of keeping smoke detectors in good working order. Discuss
Acting too quickly and without due diligence, focus, and attention to detail will result in avoidable mistakes and thus require even more time to complete the task satisfactorily. (The logic of the phrase is essentially “too much haste results in less overall speed.”) Primarily heard in UK. Watch the video
Easily recognized by its snow-white plumage, the snowy owl is most commonly found in the Arctic tundra but is sometimes seen in Europe, Asia, and North America. It is even the official bird of Quebec. The large owl has broad wings, a round head, and may have some dark markings. After snowy owl eggs hatch, both parents feed and protect their young. Their alarm call is almost like a bark, and they often clap their beaks when threatened. What popular book series features a snowy owl? Discuss