m-w.com

my new favorite website is www.m-w.com. it's a dictionary. and i've been learning so many words!!
first, i see words that i don't recognize.. usually these are on signs along the road. then i type them into the 'search' space on m-w.com, then i learn what the word means! i can even find out how to pronunce it and where it came from. it's so cool.

i learned the difference between canyon and ravine:


ra·vine
Pronunciation:
\rə-ˈvēn\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
French, from Middle French, rapine, rush, from Latin rapina rapine
Date:
circa 1772
: a small narrow steep-sided valley that is larger than a gully and smaller than a canyon and that is usually worn by running water

can·yon
Variant(s):
also ca·ñon \ˈkan-yən\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
American Spanish cañón, probably alteration of obsolete Spanish callón, augmentative of calle street, from Latin callis footpath
Date:
1834
1 : a deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it 2 : something resembling a canyon

see?? there's almost no difference. a ravine is a small canyon.
english is fascinating.