Definition: (noun) A long, usually hooded cloak or coat.
Synonyms: hooded coat.
Usage: The men wore matching black capotes with hoods that obscured their features, and we watched in terror as they advanced in the dim light.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Just a month after Nazi forces overran Poland and began distributing anti-Semitic propaganda there, the non-Jewish residents of the Polish town of Jedwabne took it upon themselves to round up and massacre Jews living in the area, burning hundreds alive. The fact that the Jedwabne Pogrom was not a German death squad operation but was actually “committed directly by Poles” was only recently established by the Polish Institute of National Remembrance. What details of the atrocity are still debated? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
This largest and best-known Scottish event in America, held since 1956 on Grandfather Mountain near Linville, North Carolina, opens with a torchlight ceremony at MacRae Meadows at dusk on Thursday. On Friday, athletic and other activities begin and in the evening there’s a Celtic Jam, followed by a ceilidh. On Saturday, competitions are held throughout the day for Highland dancing, piping, drumming, Scottish fiddling, track and field events, and other athletic events. Sunday opens with a worship service, followed by more competitions and entertainment. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Known as the “Father of Impressionism,” Pissarro was the only Impressionist painter who participated in all eight of the group’s exhibitions. He is notable not only for his paintings of rural and urban French life but in his role as a mentor to postimpressionists Paul Cézanne and Paul Gauguin. He gained popularity in the 1890s with his interpretation of nature, including many landscapes drawn from his surroundings in the French countryside. Why were many of his paintings destroyed in 1871? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
A Knight Bachelor is a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organized Orders of Chivalry, making him an English knight of the lowest rank. Like other knights, Knights Bachelor are styled “Sir.” The honor is generally awarded for public service, and amongst its recipients are all the male judges of the High Court of England and Wales. Sir Paul McCartney is one of the best-known holders of the rank. What is the female counterpart of the Knight Bachelor? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) A heavy rain.
Synonyms: pelter, soaker, torrent, waterspout, deluge, downpour.
Usage: We enjoyed the lovely recliners on the ship's deck until a sudden cloudburst sent us running for our cabins.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
During the 1920s, Weissmuller earned himself recognition as the best all-around amateur swimmer in the US. In 1922, he broke the world record in the 100-meter freestyle, swimming it in 58.6 seconds, and went on to win gold in that event at the 1924 Summer Olympics. He eventually won 5 Olympic gold medals and set 67 world records before parlaying his celebrity into an acting career. After starring as Tarzan in 12 films between 1932 and 1948, Weissmuller went on to play what comic book adventurer? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Independence Day in Argentina is a national holiday commemorating the day in 1816 when delegates from various provinces of the country met at the home of the prominent Bazán family, in Tucumán, to proclaim their independence from Spanish rule. Civil war and various forms of government followed, but the date of the original Independence Day celebration has been continuously honored. It is now marked across the country by speeches and patriotic displays, as well as parties, family reunions, and live music. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Chagas was a Brazilian physician who discovered in 1909 what is now called Chagas’ disease. Caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the disease of South and Central America usually affects children and is transmitted by the feces of infected insects. Chagas’s work is unique in the history of medicine in that he alone completely described a new infectious disease, including its pathogen, vector, host, clinical manifestations, and epidemiology. What insect often transmits Chagas disease? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Bourdain is an American author, executive chef of Brasserie Les Halles in NYC, and host of the Travel Channel’s culinary and cultural adventure program No Reservations. He is known for being edgy and provocative; his many epicurean exploits have included instances of him eating ant eggs in Mexico, a raw seal eyeball in the Arctic, and a live cobra in Vietnam. He initially gained popularity with his bestselling book about the darker side of the restaurant industry. What is the book called? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary