Wordwise II 7 Trivia Quiz

Answer: come in handy

The meaning of "come in handy" is when something might turn out to be useful for a particular purpose or situation. An example of this might be a cardboard box that you save after you receive a package in the mail. Perhaps you may need to re-package something or use it to create something crafty; it may come in handy down the road.

Answer: sea to sea

"From sea to sea" or "A mari usque ad mare" in Latin, is a translation from Psalm 72:8 in the Bible. It is Canada's national motto. Canada is bordered in the west by the Pacific Ocean, and is bordered in the east by the Atlantic Ocean. It is also bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north.

Answer: hand over fist

"Hand over fist" means to happen rapidly and in big amounts. For example, maybe you've heard the term "making money hand over fist," which means you are making money very quickly and accruing much more than usual. The origin of the term comes from sailors hand climbing a rope on board a ship; by pulling yourself up by putting one hand over the other, you are making progress to the top of the rope.

Answer: little time

There are several options for this one. "Little time" means that there is not much time remaining. "Last time" can mean that this is the final time or can mean the last time something happened. A timeline is a chronological list of events. "Short time" means that there is just a limited window for something to happen, and "small time" means insignificant or unimportant.

Answer: downwind

When you wind down, you are wrapping up whatever it is you were doing. For instance, you might wind down in the evening by going to bed after a long day of labor-intensive activity. Another option acceptable is "downwind," which is in a direction with the way in which the wind is blowing.

Answer: end in tears

To end in tears means to experience an unpleasant outcome. A literal example of this would be Roger Federer crying after losing to rival Rafael Nadal in the 2009 Australian Open. Federer lost in 5 sets, and it was the fifth time out of seven major finals that he lost to Nadal up to that point.

When you dedicate so much and come so far just to lose in the end, it is understandable to break down in tears.

Answer: Top secret

When something is highly confidential, such as certain government documents or papers, for example, they may be classified as "top secret," meaning that they are not to be seen by anyone who is not authorized to view such things. Top secret information that falls into the wrong hands, such as a spy for a foreign country, could cause a breach in national security.

Answer: walk on air

When someone walks on air, they are in a state of euphoria or great elation. There isn't a higher place to be than in the air, so if you are thrilled to the point you feel like you are lifted off your feet, you might feel like you are walking on air. Someone winning the lottery, or someone on their wedding day, or maybe even winning a Funtrivia badge might cause one to have the feeling of walking on air.

Answer: men in blue

Policemen are often referred to as the boys in blue. The origin of the idiom comes from the fact that many police uniforms were blue in color and the vast majority of police were males. Times have changed, however, as many more females have gained work as police officers into the 21st century.

Answer: go on sale

When something goes on sale, it means it is available for purchase. It may also mean that something that was already available for purchase becomes reduced in price. A good example of when something goes on sale is Black Friday, a popular event in the United States the day after Thanksgiving, when many stores have special deals that include significant discounted prices that attract more customers than normal.