Upwords & Downwords II Trivia Quiz

Answer: averages

In arithmetic, an average or mean of a set of quantities is obtained by dividing the sum of those quantities by the number of quantities in the set.

Answer: greaves

The word 'greaves' derives from the Old French word 'greve' meaning 'shin'.

'Greaves' is found once in the Bible in 1 Samuel 17:6 describing the Philistine warrior, Goliath: "And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders" (KJV).

Answer: graves

Archaeologists uncovered two shaft graves at the ancient site of Mycenae, which they called Grave Circle A and Grave Circle B. The former is usually dated to 1600-1500 BC, and the latter to 1650-1550 BC. Shaft graves were generally used for multiple burials, and were entered through from a shaft in a supported roof. These types of graves are rare on the Greek mainland.

Answer: avers

The words 'aver' and 'verify' are derived from the same Latin root, 'verus', which means 'true'.

Answer: vase

The pronunciation of 'vase' in American English is actually the original British English pronunciation (rhyming with 'lace'). In British English, the pronunciation shifted during the mid-1800s for one that rhymes with the word 'bras'.

Answer: ave

'Ave' is used as a greeting and as a farewell, as in 'Ave Maria'. It derives from the Latin word, 'avere', which means 'to be or fare well'.

Answer: ae

A digraph or ligature is a character consisting of two or more letters run together to represent a single sound. The ash was written as 'æ' in Old English, and represented the vowel sound like that of 'a' in 'ash'. The long ash, 'ǣ' was used until about 1250 AD, and the short ash until 1150.

They were replaced by the modern 'e' and 'a', respectively. The short ash was sometimes replaced with an 'e'.

Answer: era

In geological reckoning, an era is comprised of two or more periods, some of which are divided into epochs. Two or more eras make an eon, which is the largest division of geologic time. The period is the basic unit of geologic time.

Eon > Era > Period > Epoch

Answer: nare

'Nare' is an alternative to 'naris', both singular forms of the word 'nares', which describes the nostrils or nasal passages. The adjectival form is 'narial'.

Answer: yearn

'Yearn' can also mean 'to have compassion for' or 'commiserate'.

Answer: nearly

'Well-nigh' is a more literary synonym of 'nearly' or 'almost', as in the following quote by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: "Meanwhile, in the broad and lofty chamber set apart for occasions of import, the Abbot himself was pacing impatiently backwards and forwards, with his long white nervous hands clasped in front of him.

His thin, thought-worn features and sunken, haggard cheeks bespoke one who had indeed beaten down that inner foe whom every man must face, but had none the less suffered sorely in the contest.

In crushing his passions he had well-nigh crushed himself."

Answer: plenary

A plenary session of Congress, for example, would be one attended by all members of Congress.

Answer: parley

In Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), the protagonist Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) invokes parley, negotiating with her captor, Captain Barbossa, to leave Port Royal in exchange for an Aztec coin.

Answer: relay

Running relays generally place teammates in the following order: second fastest, third fastest, slowest, then fastest. Swimming relays generally employ a different strategy, with the order as follows: second fastest, slowest, third fastest, and then fastest. The fastest teammate is called the anchor.

Answer: earl

In British nobility, an earl is ranked below the rank of marquis and above that of viscount. 'Earl' is synonymous with 'count', and the wife of an earl is a countess.

The rank of duke is the highest hereditary title outside of the royal family, immediately below the title of prince.

From highest to lowest:
MALE: Duke > Marquis > Earl/Count > Viscount > Baron
FEMALE: Duchess > Marchioness > Countess > Viscountess > Baroness