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Britspeak Trivia Quiz

Shaw called England and America two countries separated by the same language. This quiz will show it's really different idioms to blame!

A multiple-choice quiz by tjoebigham. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
tjoebigham

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
33,723

Updated
May 21 23

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
16 / 20

Plays
5927

This quiz has 2 formats: you can play it as a or as shown below.
Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key.

1. What do Britons use in place of 'hood', as in car hood? Hint

bonnet

bowler

busby

topper

NEXT>

2. And what is the British English term for car trunk? Hint

shoe

back door

boot

rear entrance

NEXT>

3. What is the British term for what an American would call a cookie? Hint

a scone

a biscuit

a wafer

a snap

NEXT>

4. And a druggist or pharmacist? Hint

drug seller

chemist

interne

shopkeeper

NEXT>

5. What do the British call their version of American French fries? Hint

chips

julienne potatoes

sliced potatoes

potato sticks

NEXT>

6. Here's a wild one! What fish did the English once use as another name for a joke or mock-something? Hint

cod

flounder

mackerel

sardine

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7. And what about 'cock-up'? (Don't worry! It's not what you think!) Hint

mess, fiasco

being cocky

being awoke by a rooster

getting drunk on cocktails

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8. What do the British call an elevator? Hint

a dumb waiter

an air-box

a sky-car

a lift

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9. Britain's umbrellas were once named after which Charles Dickens character? Hint

Sam Weller

Herbert Pocket

Peggoty

Sarah Gamp

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10. What did they once call vending machines? Hint

Hal9000s

milk machines

fruit boxes

slot machines

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11. And what do they call one-armed bandits? Hint

shilling thieves

quid eaters

fruit machines

penny bandits

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12. What non-sexual meaning did 'knock up' once have in England? Hint

promote someone

knock someone out

boost a person

wake someone up

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13. And their 'screw'? Hint

turnbuckle

wage or salary

screwball person

'beat it!'

NEXT>

14. What is the British word 'torch' equivalent to? Hint

a welding torch

a kleig light

a burning torch

a flashlight

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15. What do the Brits call suspenders? Hint

hangers

braces

pants-holders

pants-uppers

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16. If they call a trunk a boot, what used to be a trunk call? Hint

elephant's trumpet

long distance

luggage request

summoning an elephant

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17. How about a flyover? Hint

a transoceanic flight

a highway overpass

a pesticide

a tarpaulin

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18. What animal has long given its name to British pedestrian crossings? Hint

tiger

raccoon

snake

zebra

NEXT>

19. And what is the phonetic name for letter Z? Hint

zed

zizz

izz

NEXT>

20. What do they call the period (in punctuation)? Hint

full stop

punct

dot

point

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What do Britons use in place of 'hood', as in car hood?

Answer: bonnet

Yep, believe it or not!

2. And what is the British English term for car trunk?

Answer: boot

Named for footwear, to boot!

3. What is the British term for what an American would call a cookie?

Answer: a biscuit

Yes, that's what they call cookies and the like.

4. And a druggist or pharmacist?

Answer: chemist

Obviously because he trades in chemicals.

5. What do the British call their version of American French fries?

Answer: chips

What? Haven't you ever heard of fish and chips? British chips are actually thicker and more irregular - more like what Americans call steak fries or potato wedges - than the typically smaller French fries.

6. Here's a wild one! What fish did the English once use as another name for a joke or mock-something?

Answer: cod

In British idiom, a cod___(fill in blank) once meant a mock or parody version and joke.

7. And what about 'cock-up'? (Don't worry! It's not what you think!)

Answer: mess, fiasco

Ironically, Brits say, 'keep your pecker up!' meaning 'take courage!'

8. What do the British call an elevator?

Answer: a lift

And while we're on the subject...

9. Britain's umbrellas were once named after which Charles Dickens character?

Answer: Sarah Gamp

Sarah Gamp, from Dickens' story, "Martin Chuzzelwit", was noted for always carrying her large umbrella with her, thus became the old British slang term for umbrella.

10. What did they once call vending machines?

Answer: slot machines

Because of the coin slot? (now they call gambling machines slots and vending machines vending machines!)

11. And what do they call one-armed bandits?

Answer: fruit machines

Perhaps because of the traditional oranges, lemons, et al.

12. What non-sexual meaning did 'knock up' once have in England?

Answer: wake someone up

From knocking on a person's bedroom door. The idiom probably came from when professionals knocked on bedroom windows from down on the streets with long sticks or poles.

13. And their 'screw'?

Answer: wage or salary

The three wrong answers are Yankee slang! The Britons once put workers' salaries in a screwed-up sheet of paper. We Yanks also get our use of 'screw' for prison warden or guard from the Victorian Britons.

14. What is the British word 'torch' equivalent to?

Answer: a flashlight

No doubt some Britons know of the other meanings, but in blackouts, the normal 'torch' is good to have!

15. What do the Brits call suspenders?

Answer: braces

Braces are the British suspenders that hold up British trousers; their pants are their undergarments.

16. If they call a trunk a boot, what used to be a trunk call?

Answer: long distance

To any elephant, the use of a phone is a trunk call!

17. How about a flyover?

Answer: a highway overpass

Bet you see a lot of them over British highways!

18. What animal has long given its name to British pedestrian crossings?

Answer: zebra

From the stripe pattern on the asphalt. Now there are both zebra crossings and pelican crossings.

19. And what is the phonetic name for letter Z?

Answer: zed

It is still zed for Z today.

20. What do they call the period (in punctuation)?

Answer: full stop

And now we come to a full stop!

Source: Author tjoebigham

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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Jun 02 2023 : Guest 196: 12/20
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