Word of the Day, January 2, 2023

[ ] January 2, 2023 Word of the Day [scaremonger]( [Discuss]( Definition: (noun) A person who spreads frightening rumors and stirs up trouble. Synonyms: [stirrer]( Usage: When he started spreading the rumor that the government was bent on destroying our homes, we decided that he was a scaremonger and stopped paying attention. Missing Idiom Contest The Free Dictionary has the largest collection of English idioms in the world. But we're always looking for more to add, and we want your help! Every so often we hear from users who have looked up an idiom on The Free Dictionary that it was not found in the database. Maybe it was some expression they heard at work, or some phrase they grew up hearing their grandmother say. If you know an idiom that isn't already defined on The Free Dictionary, [send it to us]( and you might win $150 USD. Complete English Spelling & Pronunciation Rules [Complete English Spelling Pronunciation Rules] The latest volume in our best-selling Grammar Book series! Learn the rules and patterns that tell you exactly how any word should be spelled and pronounced. ✔ Go beyond "I before E except after C" and get all the rules and exceptions, all in one place, all explained in plain English. ✔ Simple tips and tricks to avoid the most common mistakes. [Buy now](as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=farlex-el-20) Idiom of the Day [farmer's tan]( — A tan line or sunburn on the neck and lower arms that results from wearing a T-shirt during prolonged sun exposure and that is clearly demarcated from the pale skin of the chest and upper arms that remained covered. [More...]( Article of the Day Ticker-Tape Parades [Discuss]( Ticker-tape parades were originated in New York City by Grover Whalen, the city's official greeter from 1919 to 1953. The welcome ceremonies he staged for Charles Lindbergh and returning soldiers from both world wars, among others, featured a festive snow of confetti—originally ticker-tape from stockbrokers' offices in lower Manhattan—thrown onto the parade from the tall buildings along the route. Today the parades most often fete sports champions. What is the "Canyon of Heroes"? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Defining Grammatical Person [Discuss]( Grammatical person refers to the degree of involvement of a participant in an action, event, or circumstance. There are three degrees of grammatical person: first person (the speaker), second person (someone being spoken to), and third person (anyone/anything not being directly addressed). How does grammatical person affect verbs? [More...]( This Day in History The "Trial of the Century" Begins (1935) [Discuss]( Bruno Hauptmann, a German immigrant to the US, was convicted and sentenced to death for the kidnapping and murder of Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Jr., the young son of famed pilot Charles Lindbergh. Hauptmann had been found with part of the ransom money, but the case against him has since come under scrutiny. It has been alleged that some of the evidence used to convict him was planted and that false testimony was given at the trial. What was discovered in 1985 that shed new light on the case? [More...]( Today's Birthday Isaac Asimov (1920) [Discuss]( Asimov was an exceptionally prolific Russian-American author who achieved great success with his science-fiction and popular science books. Along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, he was considered one of the "Big Three" science-fiction authors of his era. Though best known for his scientific works, Asimov wrote on a diverse range of subjects, including the Bible and Shakespeare, penning more than 400 volumes in all. What robot-related term did he coin in the course of his writings? [More...]( Today's Holiday Cape Town Minstrels' Carnival [Discuss]( The [Annual Minstrels' Carnival]( in [Cape Town]( South Africa, was inspired by the animated singing and dancing of African-American musicians and singers of the United States. Bands are organized during the year, money is raised to purchase the materials needed for their costumes, and on Second New Year (January 2), and the week or so that follows, the bands take over the city, displaying their costumes and performing their music in the streets. This roisterous carnival is offset by [string bands]( the members of which are decorously dressed and parade with great dignity. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( I saw a creature, naked, bestial, Who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. [Stephen Crane]( (1871-1900) Mobile apps from TheFreeDictionary.com [The Free Dictionary Classic Free App] The classic free version, downloaded more than 6 million times! - Multiple dictionaries, encyclopedias, and thesauruses in one place. - 14 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian, Greek, Arabic, Polish, Turkish, and Russian. - Online translations of English into more than 40 languages, plus dozens of other translation options. 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