Idiomatic "K"s Trivia Quiz

Answer: kick

'Kick the bucket' is the expression, meaning to die. There are several explanations offered by sources including literally standing on a bucket or pail which is kicked away while someone is being hung, the bucket being a beam on which slaughtered animals are hung (possibly from the French word trébuchet), or a reference to the Catholic custom of using a holy-water bucket for purifying and blessing.

Answer: keep

"Keep your nose clean" is the idiom which these days means to stay out of trouble. It is an American expression that appears to have evolved from the British expression "keep your hands clean". It used to mean live a moral life but is perhaps now more at home with criminals trying to go straight.

Answer: kick

The expression is typically found as "kick up a stink" or "kick up a fuss" and means to complain loudly about something. The latter expression is probably more common in the UK. An early example of the idiom's use is found in "Punch" magazine from the 19th century describing a public outcry where 'stink' is slang for trouble or scandal.

Answer: other

Enacting a superstition, the expression "knock on wood" is said as a wish for continued good luck or to avoid bad luck. The physical act of knocking on wood reinforces the wish. The expression may have its origins in European folklore with a Christian form emerging in the Middle Ages. Often said or done to avoid tempting fate after making some sort of claim or boast.

Answer: keep

Coming from the era of gunpowder muskets, the expression "keep your powder dry" was sage advice if a soldier wished to avoid a misfire. It is attributed to Oliver Cromwell at the Battle of Edgehill in 1642 telling his troops to "put your trust in God, but keep your powder dry". These days it means be prepared or be ready.

Answer: other

The idiom referred to here is "to kill two birds with one stone", basically achieving two objectives with a single action such as going to a city on a business and visiting relatives on the same trip. The expression may be linked to the Greek mythological story of Daedalus who literally killed two birds with one stone for their feathers.

In its modern form, Thomas Hobbes is cited as using the phrase in the 17th century.

Answer: keep

With roots in Mediaeval times when wolves were relatively common in Europe, the expression "keep the wolf from the door" associates 'hunger' with 'predatory wolves'. A similar idiom is 'as hungry as a wolf'. The expression essentially means to maintain sufficient resources (such as money or food) to avoid financial problems or hunger. Charles Dickens uses a similar expression in "David Copperfield" in Chapter 13 ('keeping off the wolf for a little while').

Answer: kick

"Kick up your heels" is synonymous with having fun or celebrating in a carefree manner. It has been linked to energetic folk dancing and even to frisky horses which are prone to kick up their hind legs. Variations or similar expressions include kick your heels up and let your hair down.

Answer: other

Calling out hypocrisy, one version of the expression is "the pot calling the kettle black". It hails from a time when cooking was done on an open fire with an early English version being found in Thomas Shelton's 1620 translation of Miguel de Cervantes' "Don Quixote". Cervantes may have borrowed the sentiment from a similar Italian phrase.

Answer: other

"Keen as mustard" means very enthusiastic and probably stems from the alternative meanings of the word 'keen'. 'Keen' can mean sharp (such as a keen knife blade), a sharp or pungent taste, or being eager. Mustard seed or greens fit the bill of being piquant or sharp.

There appears to be no connection to Keen's, makers of mustard powder since the 18th century. A missed advertising opportunity?

Answer: keep

"Keep your shirt on" is an American expression meaning to calm down, typically directed at someone getting worked up. This comes from the practice of stripping off one's shirt in preparation for a fist fight, a 19th century way of settling disputes. The same source is behind such phrases as "Don't get shirty with me."

Answer: kick

A more recent American expression, "kick the can down the road" is a reference to the aimless practice of a child kicking an empty can ahead of them while walking. The Washington Post used it in the 1980s to refer to Congress postponing dealing with budget deficits, perhaps comparing politicians to little children. The idiom means putting off making a timely decision or procrastination.