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Quiz about Words With A Story
Quiz about Words With A Story

Words With A Story Trivia Quiz


There are so many words we use frequently without noticing there is some kind of story linked to them. See if you can link these with their supposed origin, meaning etc.

A multiple-choice quiz by flem-ish. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
flem-ish
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
58,482
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
1078
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Question 1 of 10
1. Why do we link hares with the month of March as in March Hare? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Which of these "explanations" is one of the theories about the origin of the expression "as mad as a hatter"? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. When Edward III wanted to stress his rights to the French throne he introduced the French heraldic lily into his coat of arms. What's the correct name for such a lily? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Which of these is NOT a characteristic of the Highland-style cap the name of which derives from 'Glengarry' (near Inverness)? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. What would always have been available at a pub that called itself the Nag's Head ? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. A 'claymore' is a fairly well-known Scottish word for a Highland-style , one-handed, two-edged sword. What does the Celtic element MOR(E) mean in this context? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. In England a pedestrian crossing with a flashing amber light is called a Belisha beacon. Which of the following statements is untrue about the inventor of those Belisha beacons, Hore-Belisha, the minister of transport in Neville Chamberlain's government? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. When the Romans came to Britain they imported some of their games. One of them was 'quoits'.But as they did not find 'quoits' so very easily, they used substitutes for the quoits.What game developed from that substitute? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. What do moonlighters specialise in ? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. There is a(n) (unreliable) story that sirloin (part of beef ABOVE the loin) was such a good quality that some King decided to 'knight the beef'.Which would explain the sir-element.What was the honorary title that later was given to :TWO sirloins left uncut at the backbone? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Why do we link hares with the month of March as in March Hare?

Answer: it's their rutting season

Most hares that hibernate do so in the deepfreezer.
2. Which of these "explanations" is one of the theories about the origin of the expression "as mad as a hatter"?

Answer: The phrase derives from a Mad (agressive) Adder

The original word for Adder happens to be Nadder. A Nadder was read as An Adder. And somehow the misunderstanding further developed into A Hatter.- There are two alternative explanations mentioned by Brewer:mercurous nitrate was used in the making of felt hats which effects can produce St.Vitus dance.And a reference to some Robert Crab an eccentric hatter living at Chesham (17th century.)
3. When Edward III wanted to stress his rights to the French throne he introduced the French heraldic lily into his coat of arms. What's the correct name for such a lily?

Answer: Fleur de Lys

Also the boy-scouts have the Fleur de Lys as their heraldic symbol.
4. Which of these is NOT a characteristic of the Highland-style cap the name of which derives from 'Glengarry' (near Inverness)?

Answer: rises to a point in front

Both the Tam o'Shanter and the Glengarry hat have a pom-pom, called a toorie.
5. What would always have been available at a pub that called itself the Nag's Head ?

Answer: a pony or other small riding-horse

There is no link with hag.
6. A 'claymore' is a fairly well-known Scottish word for a Highland-style , one-handed, two-edged sword. What does the Celtic element MOR(E) mean in this context?

Answer: large

Large as in Glen-mor= large glen.
7. In England a pedestrian crossing with a flashing amber light is called a Belisha beacon. Which of the following statements is untrue about the inventor of those Belisha beacons, Hore-Belisha, the minister of transport in Neville Chamberlain's government?

Answer: He was the first to propose traffic-free city centres.

8. When the Romans came to Britain they imported some of their games. One of them was 'quoits'.But as they did not find 'quoits' so very easily, they used substitutes for the quoits.What game developed from that substitute?

Answer: horseshoe pitching

Quoits are metal rings. A horseshoe is a possible substitute.- Ninepins is played with bottle-shaped wooden pins.Other name: skittles. - Ducks and drakes is the name of a game whereby a flattish stone is made to skip across the surface of a pond as many times as possible before sinking.- Snakes and ladders is a boardgame.
9. What do moonlighters specialise in ?

Answer: having a second extra job in addition to their regular one

Illegal smuggling or distilling of whisky is called moon SHINING. Moonlighters kind of work when there is no daylight to be seen.
10. There is a(n) (unreliable) story that sirloin (part of beef ABOVE the loin) was such a good quality that some King decided to 'knight the beef'.Which would explain the sir-element.What was the honorary title that later was given to :TWO sirloins left uncut at the backbone?

Answer: baron of beef

The knighting of the beef is ascribed to James I.
The true explanation of "sirloin" is very prosaic. It is an adaptation of French "surlonge". "Sur-longe" literally means: part above the loin.
The "apocryphal" story about King James knighting the beef may have led to the misleading spelling "sirloin". "Surloyn" is an older and etymologically more correct spelling.
The mythological "sirloin story" led to the invention of the term "barron of beef".
Source: Author flem-ish

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