"kill two birds with one stone" refers to solving two tasks at the same time or with one single action. An example of the phrase is deciding to pick up dinner when we go to the shops to get the groceries. The idiom was first found in writing in the 1600s. Thomas Hobbes wrote the original quote.
2. Dropping like ____
Answer: Flies
"Dropping like flies" refers to a situation where a large number of individuals become ill or succumb to death within a short timeframe. An example of the phrase is people were dropping like flies during the Black Death. The phrase originates from the early 19th century.
3. Opening a can of _____
Answer: Worms
"Opening a can of worms" refers to a situation in which an individual intends to pursue or discuss a topic or task that is substantially more intricate, arduous, or unpleasant than they initially recognize, which might be better left alone. The phrase originated when bait stores sold cans of worms - when the lid was removed, they would try to escape, creating a situation involving loss of control.
The phrase's first appearance in print with this meaning was in 1962.
4. ______ in my stomach
Answer: Butterflies
"Butterflies in your stomach" refers to you being very nervous or excited about something. An example of the phrase is someone about to read their school assignment in front of the whole class. The feeling you get is said to be like light stomach spasms caused by anxiety, and that is how it became known to feel like "Butterflies in your stomach".
The phrase first appeared in the book "The House of Prayer" written by Florence Converse in 1908.
5. ______ in the room
Answer: Elephant
"Elephant in the room" refers to an apparent problem or difficult situation that people do not want to discuss. The phrase originated in 1814 when Ivan Andreevich Krylov wrote a fable entitled "The Inquisitive Man", which is about a man who went to a museum and saw all kinds of small things but did not notice the elephant.
6. A _____ out of water
Answer: Fish
"Fish out of water" refers to a person who is in unfamiliar and often uncomfortable surroundings. For example, when I went on holiday overseas, I felt like a fish out of water because I wasn't sure how I was expected to behave. The phrase dates back to 1483 when English writer Geoffrey Chaucer used it in his famous book, "The Canterbury Tales".
The phrase describes a figure in the literary work who experienced unease when mounted on a horse.
7. Take the _____ by the horns
Answer: Bull
"Take the bull by the horns" refers to dealing decisively with a difficult or dangerous situation. An example of the phrase is I took the bull by the horns and told my boss I deserved a raise. Experts have differing views on the exact origins of the phrase, though it was first recorded in the early 1700s, probably in the American West.
8. Hold your _____
Answer: Horses
"Hold your horses" means to wait and slow down. Someone who thinks you are about to do something foolish might advise that perhaps you should hold your horses and think about what you're doing. This idiom originates from when horseback riding and horse-drawn carriages were used.
The phrase was used in book 23 of "The Iliad" by Homer, which was likely written in the late 8th or early 7th century BC.
9. ___ eat ___
Answer: Dog
"Dog eat dog" refers to a situation of extreme competition in which people are willing to harm each other in order to succeed. An example of the phrase is commuting to the city every morning, when it is dog eat dog to get a seat on public transport. The phrase "dog eat dog" was first published in an American newspaper in the early 1800s, but it has been traced further back than that.
10. ____ got your tongue
Answer: Cat
"Cat got your tongue" refers to someone being at a loss for words or unusually quiet. It is a humorous way of pointing out that this silence has been noticed. This idiom possibly dates to ancient Egypt. The saying may have also come from a time of witch-hunting - where fear and hysteria abounded.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
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