Respect Trivia Quiz

Answer: Vomit

A perfect example of a euphemism, to 'lose one's lunch' suggests that you have simply misplaced your midday meal. Unfortunately something far more unpleasant is in store and you'd better get to a bathroom quickly! Despite the use of the word 'lunch', vomiting at any time of the day can be referred to as 'losing one's lunch'.

There are many words that are used to replace 'vomit', including 'hurl', 'barf' and 'puke'.

Answer: Unemployed

The phrasing of 'between jobs' definitely implies that whilst you may no longer have your previous job, you are certainly on your way to your next job. However, this is not necessarily true, and it is not possible to gauge how long someone has been unemployed when they are 'between jobs'.

Answer: Pregnant

'In the family way' does sound significantly more respectful than some of the other more jarring slang used to denote pregnancy, such as 'knocked up' or 'in trouble'. However, it is not always used with respect, and is sometime's used sarcastically to describe a woman who is pregnant but not married.

The phrase 'in the family way' used to mean what it says, namely that something was being done as a family.

Answer: Died

There are so many different ways to euphemise death, from the less respectful ('kick the bucket', 'pushing up daisies' etc.) to those that seem more polite ('passed away', 'eternal rest' and so on). To 'pass on' makes death seem more positive, as it suggests a transition to another place beyond our own.

Answer: Overweight

Despite the fact that some people do of course have larger, heavier skeletons than others (you can see I'm getting my excuses in early!), the expression 'big-boned' is typically used euphemistically to describe someone who is overweight. Other ways to say 'overweight' without actually saying it include 'full figured' and 'portly'.

Answer: Fired

If you were 'let go' from your job, it means that you were fired from your position. The clever thing about this euphemism is that it makes it sound like you made the choice to leave because you were allowed to go, whereas in actual fact the company forced you out.

Answer: Lie

If something is used economically, then it is being used sparingly or in small amounts. Therefore if someone is being 'economical with the truth' then they are only giving you a small amount of the truth, i.e. they are lying. The use of the phrase can be traced back to the statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke at the end of the 18th Century.

Answer: Bankrupt

The phrase 'in reduced circumstances', does literally mean moving from a position of higher wealth to a position of lower wealth. However, it is generally used as a euphemism to refer to the specific situation of falling from grace into a state of bankruptcy.

Answer: Urinate

Whilst there are countless euphemisms to used to describe the functions of the human body, 'spend a penny' is particularly notable for its origin. In Victorian England, coin-operated locks were fitted onto public toilets to charge people to use the loo. However, this operation unfairly targeted women as urinals were free of charge.

Answer: Old

If someone is described as 'getting on', they are not making friends with new people, but are in fact just someone reaching an advanced age of life. Other phrases that can be used to refer respectfully to older people include 'senior citizens' and 'elderly'.