Settle Down Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hatches

"Batten down the hatches" is an old nautical term. Sailing ships stored goods through a large opening in their deck. At the first sign of a storm, the opening would be covered with tarpaulin and battened down with wooden planks.

Answer: Chips

You normally find out who your friends are "when the chips are down". This is at a time when things have gone from bad to worse, or if your situation is at a disadvantage, and you need a helping hand to get back on course.

Answer: Down in the dumps

The "dumps" describes a psychological state of mind when you are feeling sad and depressed. It was mentioned in the 1596 Shakespearian play "The Taming of the Shrew". The first time the phrase "down in the dumps" was mentioned was in the 1785 book written by Francis Grose called "The Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue".

Answer: Hair

People who have had a busy week at work are said to "let their hair down" when they return home and relax. The term was known in the 17th century as "dishevelling". Women with long tresses became dishevelled when they let their hair down to wash or when they retired to bed for the night.

Answer: Pants

It is said that you have "caught somebody with one's pants down" when they have been seen in an embarrassing situation or caught off guard. It sometimes alludes to being caught in a sexual act, but more often than not the phrase can be used as a sign of surprise or guilt if you are caught red-handed in any surreptitious activity.

Answer: Earth

People who have a pipe dream are said to "come down to earth" when reality strikes and they are forced to accept that life does not always go the way they wish. That same person may spend money on the Lotto each week and come down to earth with an even bigger bang when they do not win millions!

Answer: Law

"Laying down the law" is an idiom used when you have to give instructions to someone about their behaviour. If a son or daughter maliciously threw a brick at a neighbour's window, the parents would "lay down the law" as a consequence of their child doing something wrong.

Answer: Nitty gritty

"Get down to the nitty gritty" is believed to stem back to slaves, when due to their unsanitary living conditions, they would have to pick out nits or lice eggs from their body hair. It is used in modern terminology to describe getting down to essential and basic facts.

Answer: Simmer

Other idioms which have a similar meaning to "simmer down" are cool down, calm down and settle down. If you are in a state of turmoil or agitation then it will take time to gradually decrease those pent-up emotions.

Answer: Life

"He laid down his life for her" was actually a passage taken from the Bible in John 15:13. The full quote (from the King James Version) reads "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends". Although the term "friends" was used in the Bible, the idiom can also relate to mothers, fathers, children, partners, lovers, or anyone especially close.