12-06-2005, 11:37 AM
Answers time
1. This phrase originates from an old custom whereby poor men would loiter around the law courts in England offering to be false witnesses, for anyone who was willing to pay the money. However due to the milling crowds around courts in general, these poor peasants used to signify their presence by wearing a straw in their shoe.
which idiom originates from this
man of straw
2. Ok..this one should be quite easy. In the good old days roman soldiers used to be paid with provisions which included this. from here came the concept of being good enough for the pay that u recieve.
identify the expression.
worth your salt
3. Before the advent of sophisticated flying control systems, aeroplanes used to be dependent on the skill of the pilot. this acquired skill used to come from the feel of the largest point of contact between the plane and the pilot. this has lead to an expression which means to do something without planning or prior experience. identify.
by the seat of your pants
4. While playing poker u have to make a small bet before the cards are dealt ( the bet is a called an "ante") to begin play from your hand. Actually u gain an entry into the play by putting ur "ante". Similarly, if u want to gain an entry into a conversation..u use a similar idiom. which?
BTW..we also get the expression
"upping the ante" from here.
my 2 cents
5. Poker again. From the practice of using chips as a substitute for money when gambling. So, if u win..u gain a lot of chips..and vice-versa when u lose. A player who plays on even in an adverse condition is said to be playing even though the "----- --- ----"
chips are down
6. In the earlier days, on ships that had cannons, it was important that they be secured. cannons are very heavy and if not secured properly, they can be thrown in the sea, causing a lot of damage. Also, the firing of such a cannon would result in a recoil that could send the cannon on its way causing injury or damage.
which expression do we get from this example.
loose cannon
7. Popularized by US military propaganda during World War II. The phrase was meant as a reminder that classified information was never to be discussed with anyone without proper clearance and a need to know. Specifically the phrase means that disclosing a military secret to the enemy could result in large loses, such as the sinking of an entire ship.
loose lips sink ships
8. From the Burmese belief that albino elephants are sacred. They can't be used for work and they must be lavished with the ultimate amount of care. which peculiarly endearing expression comes from this.
white elephant
9. Early trading ships would hide illegal cargo below the ship's deck. Legal cargo could be placed in plain view on deck. Which expression do we get from this.
above board
10. This colorful phrase evokes strange images of feline cruelty. In fact it has nothing to do with cats, but the real story is at least as cruel.
It comes from a type of whip used to discipline sailors on old sailing ships. It has one handle to which is attached nine thin strips of leather, each perhaps three feet long. This whip would be used to administer lashings that would sting and leave welts on the recipient. The whippings would take place on the deck, because below deck there was not enough ceiling height for the lashings.
room to swing a cat
11. British war ships in the 1700s including the HMS Victory did not have the best of living conditions. A sailors breakfast and lunch were sparse meals consisting of little more than bread and a beverage. But the third meal of the day included meat and was served on a "X" tray. Eating a substantial meal onboard a ship required a tray to carry it all. Hence a "X Y" was the most substantial meal served.
identify this idiom related to food.
square meal a day
12. Now this is really-really colorful
Early warships had very cramped quarters. Sailors slept between the cannons because that was the only space available. They sometimes had female company on board. Some ships actually carried prostitutes. Other times a sailor's wife would be allowed on board so that he would not have to leave the ship, and potentially desert. In any case, many children were conceived between the cannons. Woman who gave birth on the ships typically also did so between the cannons.
The male children were thus called "--- -- - ---".
son of a gun
13. This phrase refers to races where the winner is determined by whoever crosses the finish line first. Think of horse racing and foot races.
the meaning of the phrase is "undecided until the end, at the last minute "
down to the wire
14. This is a pirate phrase originating in Port Royal Jamaica in the 1600's. Having only single shot black powder weapons and cutlesses, they would carry many of these weapons at once to keep up the fight. In addition they carried a knife somewhere on the body for maximum arms capability.
lets see..identify this martial phrase.
armed to the teeth
15. The best question of this quiz..all the clues are in the following statement. (dont google for this..u'll kick urself when u get the answer
)
Comes from the early pub days when beer and ale was served in pint and quart containers. The tab was kept on a chalkboard used to count the pints and quarts consumed. Identify the expression that comes from this situtation.
mind your P's & Q's
now for the credits
CATCALL got the best one :wink:
Arsenal got Qs. 5 & 8 ..but 13 was quite close
Ranjitha got Qs. 2,8,9,12,13 right
donB got all correct except 10 (suspiciously right :wink
shekhar101 got Qs. 2,5,6 right..welcome to quiz thread, dude!
ok..get more such trivia stuff from this page:
http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm
cheers
QE
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