Month: March 2022

hint

adumbrate – Means “to give a sketchy outline or disclose only in part; hint,” and its root is Latin umbra, “shadow.” More…

allude, refer – To allude is to “mention indirectly, hint at,” and to refer is to “mention directly.” More…

infer, imply – Infer means “to deduce, reason,” and imply means “to hint at, suggest.” More…

inkle, inkling – To inkle is to communicate in an undertone or whisper, to give a hint of something, which gives us inkling. More…

Earthquake Destroys Caracas, Venezuela (1812)

Founded by the Spanish in 1567, Caracas is the capital of Venezuela, located in the northern part of the country near the Caribbean coast. In 1811, Venezuela declared its independence from Spain, but the revolution soon met difficulties. Less than a year later, Caracas was destroyed by an earthquake, hampering efforts by the patriots and prompting authorities to portray the disaster as divine punishment for those who rebelled against Spain. When were the patriots able to secure independence? Discuss

A. E. Housman (1859)

Housman studied at Oxford but left without a degree because he failed his final examinations. While working as a Patent Office clerk, Housman studied Latin texts and wrote journal articles that led to his appointment as a professor at University College, London, and later at Cambridge. He is remembered for the much-anthologized poem “When I was One-and-Twenty,” and his verse, based on Classical and traditional models, exerted a strong influence on later poets. Who was his famous brother? Discuss

Ramadan

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a time for self-examination and increased religious devotion. During this period, devout Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking, and sex from sunrise to sunset. This holiest season in the Islamic year commemorates the time when the Qur’an is said to have been revealed to Muhammad. Although fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars—fundamental religious duties—of Islam, the requirement to fast is relaxed for whom? Discuss

luck

hapless, happiness – Hapless means one is lacking hap, “good fortune, luck”; the words happy and happiness also have the root “hap.” More…

happen – Fairly new to English, from hap, “chance, luck,” which was borrowed from Old Norse happ. More…

fortune – Latin fors, “chance,” formed fortuna, “that which fate brings along,” hence fortune, “luck” or “good luck.” More…

potluck – Comes from the practice of throwing leftovers in a pot—with luck determining how good the stew would taste. More…

Saturn's Largest Moon Is Discovered (1655)

Titan is Saturn’s largest moon and the second largest moon in the solar system. It was discovered by Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens in 1655 and remains the only natural satellite in the solar system known to have a significant atmosphere. The thick, opaque atmosphere obscures the surface, but some surface detail has been observed via the Hubble Space Telescope. When the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft arrived on Saturn in 2004, it revealed that Titan’s surface has what in common with Earth? Discuss