Word of the Day, October 6, 2023

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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. The Farlex Financial Dictionary [The Farlex Financial Dictionary] New! Define your success with the essential financial and business dictionary. ✔ 19,000+ entries covering both basic and advanced concepts—nearly 4X more than the leading financial dictionary! ✔ Cut through the jargon with clear, in-depth definitions backed by industry expertise. [Buy now]( Idiom of the Day [have (got) (someone's) back]( — To be willing and prepared to help or defend someone; to look out for someone in case he or she needs assistance. ["More...]( [Idiom video]( Article of the Day Superstition [Discuss]( Based on a belief in witchcraft, spirits, and demons, a superstition is the irrational idea that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome. A common superstition in the Middle Ages was that the devil could enter a person's body during the unguarded moment when he was sneezing. Some believe that the practice of saying "God bless you" began for this reason. What famous theologian accused the papacy of perpetuating superstition? [More...]( Daily Grammar Lesson Future Continuous Tense [Discuss]( The future continuous tense (also known as the future progressive) is used to describe an unfinished action occurring in the future. How is the future continuous tense formed? [More...]( This Day in History The Jazz Singer Premieres (1927) [Discuss]( In the 1920s, filmmakers began experimenting with sound effects and music in films. With about 15 minutes of dialogue and songs, The Jazz Singer was the first feature-length film to have synchronized dialogue. Based on the earlier stage play, the film was a landmark in the history of motion pictures, and its release heralded the commercial ascendance of "talkies" and the decline of the silent film era. The first all-talking picture was released a year later. What was it? [More...]( Today's Birthday Henri Christophe (1767) [Discuss]( A freed slave, Christophe was a Haitian revolutionary leader who was army chief under Jean-Jacques Dessalines. When Dessalines declared himself emperor, Christophe took part in a successful plot against his life and was elected president of the republic. In 1811, Christophe declared himself king of North Haiti—as Henri I—and created an autocracy patterned after the absolute monarchies of Europe. Engaging in a tyrannical reign, Christophe surrounded himself with lavish wealth. How did he die? [More...]( Today's Holiday Ivy Day [Discuss]( October 6 is the anniversary of the death of [Charles Stewart Parnell]( (1846-1891), the famous Irish statesman and leader of the [Home Rule Party](. He is a symbol of Irish pride and independence, and his name appears frequently in Irish literature, particularly the poetry of William Butler Yeats and the short story in James Joyce's [Dubliners]( called "Ivy Day in the Committee Room." It is somewhat ironic that the sprig of green ivy traditionally worn on this day—chosen by Parnell himself as an emblem—is a color he apparently intensely disliked. [More...]( Quote of the Day [Discuss]( Friends should be weighed, not told; who boasts to have won a multitude of friends has never had one. 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