Let's Use the Letters in SNOWSTORM Quiz

Answer: town

The word "town" comes from the German language and originally meant an area enclosed by a wall. "Town" can be used loosely to refer to human settlements of very small or very large size, but most often it is used for settlements of some hundreds to thousands of inhabitants. A town may be a legal entity with its own government or might just be a locality within a broader governmental area.

Answer: ton

In the United States and Canada, a ton is equal to 2,000 pounds. This is equivalent to about 907 kilograms. In the past, a ton in the U.K. was 2,240 pounds, but that term is not used anymore (at least not officially). In everyday speech, a "ton" is used informally to refer to a large mount of weight. For example, "Look at that man; he must weigh a ton!"

Answer: worst

Bad, worse, worst. Good, better, best. The second words in those lists are called "comparatives" because they compare one thing to another. You use them when two things are involved. When more than two things are being compared, the one that is on the extreme end of the bad side is called the "worst." In that case, "worst" is known as the superlative form. Informally though, "worst" can be used just to mean "really bad."

Answer: toss

"Toss" means to throw something. Often it refers to more informal, careless throws. It's a sort of casual word. It can also mean "to fling about," such as when a horse tosses its tail or a person tosses her hair. Other common uses of "toss" are in the phrase "coin toss," which is used to start many sports contests, or to refer to mixing the ingredients of a salad.

The game "Toss Across" was introduced in 1969 and is now distributed by Mattel. If you haven't played it, give it a try. It's like tic-tac-toe but played by tossing beanbags onto a flat frame with squares that spin when hit and show the Xs and Os.

Answer: worm

There are a great many different kinds of worms, from earthworms to flatworms to roundworms. Generally the term refers to animals with a long, thin shape and, usually, no backbone. The expression "the early bird catches the worm" means that the first to arrive or the first to put in the effort will gain the reward or will succeed at whatever work is being talked about.

Answer: son

Of course, males are sons; females are daughters. But the word "son" has a broader usage than simply referring to a biological offspring. It is often used by older males to refer to younger males, sometimes rudely, sometimes as a sign of affection or at least camaraderie. Also, family names sometimes incorporate use of the word directly. For example, "Leif Ericson" refers to Leif, the son of Eric. Another example is that in Arabic, "ibn" or "bin" means "son" and those words may be carried into one's name: "Mahmoud bin Khaled" could refer to Mahmoud, the son of Khaled.

Answer: snot

Yes, "snot" is what is called a "vulgar" term for nasal mucus. But that doesn't stop it from being one of the fun words or from being used quite a lot in conversation. The word has also taken on non-literal meanings. While the expression "snotty" or even better "snot-nosed" can refer to children with mucus dripping from their nose, it is also used to mean someone who is conceited or arrogant.

Answer: torn

Torn is the past tense of the verb "tear", of course. And "tear" means to completely or partially rip apart or into pieces. "Tear" is also a very flexible word that has many meanings related to ripping. You can "tear into" somebody when you yell at them, "tear down" something when you want to belittle or destroy it, or "tear up" when you rip something into small pieces. You can also "tear up" the road when you go fast!

Answer: sow

Pigs, or swine, are a very common domesticated animal. When a female pig becomes an adult (at about 5 months of age for common breeds) she is known as a sow. This means she is old enough to have babies. Until then she is a piglet. Some other animals' grown females are also known as sows; for example, the bear.

Answer: snort

I don't know about you, but I find it great fun to imitate pigs or other animals by making a snorting sound. All it takes is inhaling through your nose, quickly, roughly, and loudly. Practice will make perfect! "Snort" can also refer to a loud, crude type of laughter. Technically speaking, snorting may be called "insufflation." Nasal insufflation is sometimes used as a way of taking medications such as sinus treatments.