Word of the Day, March 12, 2023

March 12, 2023 [The Free Dictionary]( Word of the Day [cultivable]( [Discuss]( Definition: (adjective) Capable of being farmed productively. Synonyms: [arable]( [tillable]( Usage: Though she had inherited a large farm, it was practically worthless because of the lack of cultivable land. Missing Idiom Contest The Free Dictionary has the largest collection of English idioms in the world. But we are 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 Punctuation Rules [Complete English Punctuation Rules] An Amazon Best Seller! The only punctuation guide with simple, easy-to-remember rules for how to use—and not use—every punctuation mark. ✔ Side-by-side examples of both correct and incorrect punctuation. ✔ Quizzes after every topic to help you retain what you learn. [Buy now]( Idiom of the Day [contrary to popular opinion]( — Opposite to what is popularly or generally expected or believed. Usually used to introduce such a statement. ["More...]( [Idiom video]( Article of the Day Cotton Candy [Discuss]( This kid-pleasing treat is often sold at fairs, circus shows, and other jovial events. It is usually tinted pink, though purple and blue are also popular colors. It is made by machines with a central bowl where sugar is melted and spun out through a myriad of tiny holes where it solidifies and is caught by a ring. The operator then catches the candy on a stick, forming a confection that is often larger than the human head. In what country is cotton candy known as "fairy floss"? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Free Indirect Speech [Discuss]( Free indirect speech (also known as free indirect discourse) is used to indicate the thoughts or mental processes of a character. Where is this type of speech most commonly found? [More...]( This Day in History The Truman Doctrine (1947) [Discuss]( In the early stages of the Cold War, US President Harry Truman sought to protect Turkey and Greece from falling under Soviet influence when the UK announced that it could no longer provide them with aid. The Truman Doctrine, which called for the US to "support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures," shifted US foreign policy to a strategy of Soviet containment. How much money did Congress appropriate in response to Truman's message? [More...]( Today's Birthday Jack Kerouac (1922) [Discuss]( Considered the father of the Beat movement, Jack Kerouac was an American novelist whose semiautobiographical, "spontaneous prose" reflects a frenetic, restless pursuit of new sensation and experience and a disdain for the conventional measures of economic and social success. His best known works are The Subterraneans, The Dharma Bums, and On the Road, which is widely considered the testament of the Beat Generation. Why was Kerouac arrested in connection with a 1944 murder? [More...]( Today's Holiday Mauritius Independence Day [Discuss]( This national holiday commemorates the day in 1968 when [Mauritius]( gained [independence]( from [Britain]( after being under its rule since the early 19th century. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( My only objection to the custom of giving books as Christmas presents is perhaps the selfish one that it encourages and keeps in the game a number of writers who would be far better employed if they abandoned the pen and took to work. [P. G. Wodehouse]( (1881-1975) 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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