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Forgotten But Not Gone Trivia Quiz

This quiz is about words that used to be part of the everyday English language. Today they may have a totally different meaning, or they may not be used anymore, but their traces can still be found.

A multiple-choice quiz by Catamount. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Catamount

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
187,501

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1002

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. To leave somebody "in the lurch" means to abandon somebody in a difficult situation. What was the original meaning of the word "lurch"? Hint

Tavern brawl

Butler

Dice game

Swamp

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Question 2 of 10

2. What does the Middle English word "gorgayse" mean? Hint

Despicable

Ugly

Elegant

Young

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Question 3 of 10

3. What was called a "fleam"? Hint

Foam on a mug of beer

Bridle bit

Instrument for bloodletting

Fork for gathering hay

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which part of the body is affected if one suffers from "megrim"? Hint

Head

Stomach

Back

Foot

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Question 5 of 10

5. The modern word "bonfire" comes from "bone-fire". Why would people burn bones, as opposed to other materials? Hint

To get rid of kitchen waste

To ward off evil spirits

To keep warm

To roast marshmallows

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Question 6 of 10

6. Many people have experienced a "blasted headache", but what did the word "blastan" originally mean? Hint

Punching a hole in a wall

Spoiling the fruits of the earth

Dropping a heavy weight

Lighting a fire

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Question 7 of 10

7. What is lant? Hint

Stale human urine

Snake venom

Curdled milk

Sour wine

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Question 8 of 10

8. What was the original meaning of "lewd"? Hint

Promiscuous

Illiterate

Risque

Flashy

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Question 9 of 10

9. Wassail Eve was the last day of the Christmas season (also known as Twelfth Night). Which of these is something that might be associated with "wassail"? Hint

Washbowl

Vassal

Vaseline

Vessel

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Question 10 of 10

10. "Grout", as in "mortar used for finishing tile", is derived from a food.

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. To leave somebody "in the lurch" means to abandon somebody in a difficult situation. What was the original meaning of the word "lurch"?

Answer: Dice game

"Lurch" was a popular game where the loser acquired a "lurch", something like the "Black Peter" in a children's card game, or a "skunk" in cribbage.

2. What does the Middle English word "gorgayse" mean?

Answer: Elegant

From Latin and French for "throat", it used to refer to a decorative metal disc worn around the neck and breast, later to a female headdress that covered the throat as well as the head. Its derivative "gorgeous" has survived into our time.

3. What was called a "fleam"?

Answer: Instrument for bloodletting

It comes from Greek "phleb", vein, the same root as the word "phlebotomy".

4. Which part of the body is affected if one suffers from "megrim"?

Answer: Head

"Megrim" from Old French "foul mood" came into common use in English around 1400. It lives on as "migraine".

5. The modern word "bonfire" comes from "bone-fire". Why would people burn bones, as opposed to other materials?

Answer: To ward off evil spirits

Bonfires used to be associated mostly with midsummer pagan rituals.

6. Many people have experienced a "blasted headache", but what did the word "blastan" originally mean?

Answer: Spoiling the fruits of the earth

According to Bailey's Dictionary, it meant "the sudden unexplainable damage to animals or crops caused by wind or frosts that immediately followed rain." (From "Forgotten English" by Jeffrey Kacirk)

7. What is lant?

Answer: Stale human urine

It used to be an additive in baking and beer making, eg "single-lanted" or "double-lanted" ale. Lant was also used for medicinal and industrial purposes. Even today human or animal urine is used in some drugs.

8. What was the original meaning of "lewd"?

Answer: Illiterate

The Old English term "laewede" referred to lay people as opposed to clergy. Since generally only clergy were able to read and write, "lewd" meant "illiterate" as applied to the lower classes (even though the non-clergy upper classes were mostly illiterate themselves).

9. Wassail Eve was the last day of the Christmas season (also known as Twelfth Night). Which of these is something that might be associated with "wassail"?

Answer: Vessel

Wassail is the name of the beverage drunk on Wassail Eve, usually sweetened and spiced ale or wine, which would be served in some form of vessel or hollow container. The term comes from Old Norse "waes hail - be thou healthy". Sometimes toasted and spiced bread was floated in it to enhance the flavour, hence our modern "toast". (If you know German, here's a joke for you: This Englishman is travelling in Germany.

He goes to a pub for lunch but it's so crowded he has to share a table with a native.

When the drinks arrive, he lifts his glass and says: "Your health!" The native looks puzzled for a moment, then lifts his glass and replies: "Your dunkles!")(For non-German speakers: the non-English speaking native understood "health" as "helles" - light beer; he therefore responded with "your dark beer" - sorry!)

10. "Grout", as in "mortar used for finishing tile", is derived from a food.

Answer: True

A derivative from Anglo-Saxon "grut", grout is a coarse porridge.

Source: Author Catamount

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