Double, double, toil and trouble! Witches cackle as their cauldrons bubble. Spiders creep. Black cats howl. Ghosts and spirits are on the prowl. All sorts of nasty things go in the witches’ brew. But the most important ingredient of all just might be… you! Spooky! This classic scene of malevolent madams making a most mysterious mixture entered our cultural imagination thanks to William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. …
Whether you love chocolate or hard candies, we all have our favorites. But, have you ever thought about what the name on your favorite candy wrapper means? Here’s the history behind the names of a few popular confections. Snickers Believe it or not, one of the most beloved candy bars is named after a horse. The Mars family named the candy bar Snickers in memory of …
By Ashley Austrew The month of November is a big deal for writers. It’s time for NaNoWriMo! What is NaNoWriMo, you ask? It’s an abbreviation for National Novel Writing Month, an event every November during which writers all over the country attempt to write 50,000 words of a new novel in just the 30 short days. If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo this year, chances are …
At Dictionary.com, we know well that learning new words is about so much more than just definitions. Learning new words is about discovering new ideas and feelings, about unlocking experiences and opportunities. It’s about empowering our communication, enriching our relationships, and inspiring our creativity and self-expression. Composer and Princeton University professor Steven Mackey knows this well, too. And if you give Mackey a word? He …
Oh, oh, Scorpio. The eighth sign of the Zodiac, it’s reserved for those born between October 23–November 21. There’s nothing reserved about Scorpios, though. This sign is about passion, excitement, and living life to the fullest … but with a mission. Represented by a stinging scorpion, this is one fierce sign. Just take a look at some of the famous Scorpios: Pablo Picasso, Hilary Clinton, …
Have you ever wondered about the influence other languages have had on English? Let’s take a look at the many ways Spanish has impacted the English language. It’s not surprising that English has a lot of Spanish in it: Hispanic people are the largest ethnic minority in the US. And, in 1848, Mexico was compelled to cede approximately 50% of its original territory to the …
Every October, thousands of Americans scoop out the flesh of a gourd, carefully carve a haunting face into its rind, and stick a candle inside. In fact, pumpkins are so popular near Halloween, that October 26 is National Pumpkin Day. But Halloween pumpkins aren’t just any pumpkins. These creations are called jack-o’-lanterns, and they are proudly displayed on porches and stoops across the country. These …
Pizza is one of the most beloved dishes in the world. Yet ask 10 people from 10 different places what pizza is and you’re likely to get more than a couple different answers. Look back on the history of pizza as a term, and you can see why there’s more than a little ambiguity. At its heart, pizza has crust, a sauce of some kind, …
There are many things that signify autumn’s arrival. Pumpkin spice everything, for example, or the slight nip of cold air. Yet few things scream fall as much as a bountiful harvest—particularly when it comes to the squash and gourd harvest. Fall is the season for squash soup and pumpkin pie, right alongside decorative gourds of all shapes and sizes. At first glance, there doesn’t appear …
By Ashley Austrew Teachers are some of the most important people in a child’s life. We honor them on World Teacher Day on October 5 and May, when National Teacher Day is held during the first full week. It’s only fitting, after all, because teachers spend almost every day with kids, teaching them not only the basic skills they need to grow and thrive, but …
Smile and the world smiles with you! The smiley, as most people know, is a yellow face with a big, jolly smile. This smiling face seems to be a universal and ubiquitous symbol of joy and cheer. But why? Are people obsessed with the human face? Maybe so, as our fascination with faces allows us to see them in everyday objects, a phenomenon known as …
October is here, and in the Northern Hemisphere, that often means the days are flush with falling leaves, chilling weather, and growing anticipation for the holiday season. The tenth month by our Gregorian calendar, October shares a root with octopus and octagon—the Latin octo and Greek okto, meaning “eight.” According to the original Roman republican calendar, October was the eighth month of the year rather than the …