The Thing Trivia Quiz

Answer: No

No is a statement of refusal and nothing is another term for zero.

Having nothing left in terms of money, energy or hope means that you have hit rock bottom in some way or another. However, the word doesn't always have bad connotations - if "nothing gets past you" then you are very astute and unlikely to be cheated.

Answer: Pi

Pi is the mathematically famous 16th letter of the Greek alphabet and pithing is a term used for removing the white skin found under the rind of an orange or other citrus fruit.

There is also a less pleasant meaning of the word 'pithing'. It is a process used for slaughtering animals by inserting a metal rod into the spinal cord and brain, which is now more commonly used when controlling outbreaks of disease or in other emergency situations. The meat from animals killed using this method is widely banned from entering the human food chain due to infection risks.

Answer: Ti

Ti (also sometimes called te or si) is the seventh note of the sol-fa tonic scale and tithing means to 'take (or pay) a tithe' - a tithe being ten percent of someone's income or produce.

Tithing is a historic form of taxing the population to pay for the upkeep of the church and its clergy. It is mentioned in several Biblical passages and forms part of the doctrine of Judaism and many Christian denominations, while the wider concept of contributing a portion of wealth and income to religious organisations and charities can be found across world religions.

Answer: Tee

A tee is the small peg that a golfer puts their ball on at the start of each of hole and teething is when a young child's first teeth start to grow through their gums.

As well as being the equipment that holds up a golf ball, the tee also gives it name to the golfer's first shot on the first hole of a round - 'teeing off'.

Answer: See

To see means to be able perceive or view something and seething means that you are very angry or furious, but not outwardly expressing the emotion.

As well as referring to building levels of resentment and anger, the term seething can also be used to refer to the tumultuous boiling of a liquid, movement of the sea, or motion of a crowd in a restricted space.

Answer: Ear

The ear is the organ of the human body that forms part of the auditory system, while 'earthing' is the electrical term for connecting to the ground.

Earthing an electrical device or circuit is extremely important for electrical safety as it provides an access route for the current to be discharged into the ground in the event of a failure. The alternative would be a nasty case of electrocution for anyone who happens to make contact with a live part of faulty equipment.

Answer: Far

Far is something a long way away or a long journey to get to such a place; a farthing is a former British coin.

The farthing was first used as a denomination of British currency in 13th century England when they were minted from silver. The name comes from an Anglo-Saxon term for 'a fourth part' and they have always been worth ¼ of a penny - meaning that the old silver ones were very small and therefore very rarely found today. Later coins were produced in copper, tin and then bronze from 1860. They were abolished in 1960 as inflation eroded their purchasing power - as they were worth only ¼ of a pre-decimal penny, it meant that you needed 960 of them to make one pound sterling.

Answer: Sou

A sou was a small division of the French livre. A southing is a navigational term for the distance travelled by a ship in a southerly direction.

While sous were formally abolished along with the livre in 1795, the term was colloquially retained for 5-centime coins worth 1/20th of a franc. A southing can also be defined as the difference in latitude between the last two points of measurement of a ship's position while travelling south.

Answer: Play

A play is a literary work intended to be performed on a theatrical stage and a plaything is a toy or other object intended as an amusement.

Some of the most famous works of literature are plays - particularly those written by one William Shakespeare, such as 'Hamlet', 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. During the 19th century, a popular toy sold to theatregoers was the toy theatre, which people could use to re-enact miniature versions of the plays they'd seen on stage for their family and friends.

Answer: Shea

Shea butter comes from the seeds of the shea tree, while sheathing is the act of putting something (such as a sword or knife) into a protective covering.

The shea tree is the only member of the Vitellaria genus and is found across central areas of Africa. Fruit from the tree are a traditional African foodstuff, but the butter extracted from the seeds within them is also commonly used for making soap or as a cosmetic moisturiser.