Words N - Z Trivia

1. Hopefully, you won't be eating humble pie this Christmas. The term 'humble pie' has a connection to the part(s) of a game animal used to cook 'umble pie'. What part of an animal do 'the umbles' refer to?

From Quiz All I Want for Christmas is 'U'

Answer: The internal organs: heart, lungs etc.

To eat humble pie is to admit a wrongdoing and be apologetic in doing so. Umble pies which were given to members of a household staff while the household members dined on the choice cuts of an animal. Umbles, what we call offal now, was used as a general term for the innards of an animal, particularly venison. The word 'umbles' came from the French 'numbles' meaning the internal organs of a deer. Over time, the 'n' was lost from the word and they became 'umbles'. The word 'humble' also came from Old French and meant menial or lowly. Given the similarity of 'umble' and humble, it's easy to see how eating humble pie became a figure of speech representing humility and contrition.

From Quiz Words Ending in X

Answer: jukebox

The word jukebox originates from the term "juke joint". The setting of "Happy Days" is the United States during the 1950s/1960s. Coincidentally, the 1950s/1960s was when the jukebox achieved its highest popularity.

From Quiz I Hate "U"

Answer: Ugli

The ugli fruit is, in common with other citrus, an excellent source of Vitamin C. It is believed to have its origins in the Caribbean, though the exact details are a little uncertain. Though the fruit is unattractive, it has a very sweet, citrus taste.

From Quiz Words beginning with RED

Answer: Reduce

Let those among us who haven't tried to lose weight at some time or another during their lifetimes be banished forthwith. Once almost a topic for a chuckle or two, trying to lose weight is becoming a deadly problem in a western affluent world where the lure of an easy takeaway meal riddled with calories is so easily available. Coupled with the temptation of relaxing in front of the television set or the computer all day long, and obesity is the result, a growing epidemic in a comfortably off society. In short, ladies and gentlemen, we're in danger, while a third world starves, of eating ourselves to death.

From Quiz P's and Q's

Answer: Quip

"Quip" means both a witty, sarcastic retort, or the action of making such a retort.

From Quiz Not So Obscure Words Beginning With "Obs"

Answer: Observatory

The University of Tokyo Atacama OBSERVATORY is situated atop a mountaintop in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile. Established in 2009, it contains an optical-infrared telescope capable of exploring deep into the night sky.

From Quiz Words Beginning with "Pet"

Answer: Pettiness

"Petty" as an adjective can describe anything that is rather insignificant or trifling in nature, such as "She worried incessantly about petty details such as how far apart the spoons should be on the table, and whether the leaves of the flower arrangements should be higher or lower". If applied to a person, it indicates someone who is mean-spirited, nasty or narrow-minded, such as "Their lips pursed tightly into their accustomed judgemental lines as they stared at the happy young girls full of life and beauty walking down the street. 'Tarts, all of them' they rasped to each other, 'They'll all be pregnant before they're sixteen'."

From Quiz SINcerely Yours

Answer: sinapism

Sincipita means forehead. Sinecure means any office or position which requires or involves little or no responsibility, labor, or active service. Sinew means either a tendon or to knit together.

From Quiz "V' Isn't Only for Victory

Answer: vase

A vase is an open glass, metal or pottery vessel for displaying flowers.

From Quiz Under Pressure

Answer: prestidigitation & prestidigitator & prestidigitators

A quotation from the 1940s movie "The Mummy's Hand": 'It seems the natives here don't appreciate the art of prestidigitation'. 'Preste' in French means 'nimble', and 'digitation' is, of course, a reference to fingers.

From Quiz Hey There Lonely Q

Answer: The leaves of an evergreen shrub

Not only are the leaves of the shrub Catha edulis (qat) mildly intoxicant, the word is worth at least 12 points in Scrabble. By virtue of its brevity, it's one of the most-often played words.

From Quiz Test Your IQ

Answer: Question

Both words mean to seek information. Another, shorter, word with the same meaning is query.

From Quiz 'W' is for Scottish...

Answer: Take out a mortgage

Wadset is indeed a mortgage.

From Quiz 'Z' is for...

Answer: Buffalo

A zamouse is a short-horned buffalo native to Western Africa.

From Quiz 'X' is for...

Answer: Yellow

Xanthic is yellow or yellowish and comes from the Greek word 'xanthos' meaning yellow.

From Quiz 'V' is for....

Answer: In your pocket

A vade-mecum, being Latin for go with me, is a handbook or pocket companion.

From Quiz 'S' is for....Scotland

Answer: An onion

A sybo is a young onion or a shallot.

From Quiz 'S' is for....

Answer: Quicksand

Syrtis comes from the Latin for quicksand.

From Quiz 'R' is for....

Answer: Scotland

A roost, from the Norse word 'rost', is a tidal race near to the Orkneys and Shetland Isles, off the coast of Scotland. It is where the Atlantic Ocean and North Sea crash into each other creating a cauldron with waves breaking deep down in the ocean.

From Quiz 'Q' is for...

Answer: Card game for four people

Quadrille is an old card game for four people that is played with a pack of 40 cards. The game and the word are both from the French.

From Quiz 'O' is for....

Answer: Wales

The Ordovices, whol ived in northern Wales and nearby parts of England, give their name to a geological period of time between the Cambrian and Silurian periods....in case you were interested.

From Quiz S-Words And S-Phrases

Answer: salvo

Salve Regina means something like: Greetings to you, my Queen.

From Quiz S Words

Answer: hiccough

From Quiz U Words

Answer: Ud

The Arab instrument in question is al-ud, a word that literally means a 'twig of wood'. The ud is very similar to what we now call a lute. Indeed, the lute is believed to derive ultimately from the ud.

From Quiz T Words pt 2

Answer: Weaving

From the Latin 'texere', meaning 'to weave'.

From Quiz Words with W

Answer: Damascus

Originally known as 'Ukku', Wootz steel originated in India around the 3rd century A.D.

From Quiz Y I.Q. Quiz

Answer: yi

From Quiz Test your Z I.Q.

Answer: lizard

From Quiz Words starting with the letter N

Answer: Nausea

Being nauseated is not a pleasant feeling, as you get sick to your stomach and feel uncomfortable. Neither is throwing up afterwards.

This is category 4589
Last Updated Dec 28 2024 5:46 AM

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