Word Play Teaser Trivia Quiz

Answer: Fate

"A fate worse than death" means that there are some experiences in life that are so bad that death would be preferable to their continuance. This expression can be dated back as far as the 1700s when it was used as a euphemism for rape. It is found, for example in Gibbon's 1781 "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" to reflect the fact that for centuries, a girl who lost her virginity before marriage was considered lost to all decent society and had forsaken any hope of a favourable marriage in the future. Lord bless us all, talk about double standards.

Answer: Bird

"A little bird told me" means that some news or special information has been obtained from a secret source, but from one whose identity can't be revealed. Believe it or not, a form of this expression can be dated back to the Bible, where it states in Ecclesiastes 10-20 that "Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter".

However, a more definite form of the expression can also be found in Frederick Marryat's 1833 "Peter Simple" where it states that "A little bird has whispered a secret to me".

Answer: Own

"The devil looks after his own" means that some evil or exceptionally nasty individuals are so lucky and prosperous that it appears as though they are being assisted by the devil himself. Their very nature and deeds, in other words, could not have sprung from goodness or the Lord.

Answer: Silence

"Silence is golden" means that sometimes it is better to say nothing at all than to speak. Versions of this expression have been noted as far back as Egypt and it has cropped up periodically throughout time in various works ever since.

Answer: Young

"Whom the gods love die young" means that sometimes very sweet, beautiful or exceptionally good people die very young in order to make their early ascent into the halls of the immortals, or heaven, to be with the beings who created them and love them dearly. The origin of this phrase is a little hard to locate.

Answer: Time

"Time will tell" means that sometimes the result of any search, or work, or endeavour of any kind will only come to fruition, or be revealed, by the passage of time. This is another expression whose origin is hard to locate. An example of it, however, could be first turning the soil on a bare patch of ground that you hope will become a beautiful garden.

It could take many months, or even years, before that desirable goal is achieved. Oh, but isn't it worth it then!

Answer: Customer

"The customer is always right" means that a high priority must be given to satisfying every customer, even, in some cases, going as far as biting one's tongue when that customer's demands or complaints are unreasonable. This was a slogan made popular by early retailing giants establishing new businesses or wishing to increase sales in current ones, or indeed by any business wishing to maintain satisfied customers and increase trade. Happy customers keep returning to purchase more goods or services, and happy customers also spread the word about a business that has fully met their needs.

Answer: Pours

"When it rains it pours" means that when things start to go wrong, they really start to go wrong big time, and, of course, the reverse is also true. When good things happen, it seems to see off a chain of follow up happy occurrences.

Answer: Eat

"You are what you eat" means that what you consume will ultimately result in how you will look. Keep stacking away those cream buns several times a day, for example, and the pounds will soon mount up - usually around the hips. Conversely, if you eat healthy, sensible, nourishing foods, a flattering weight will be maintained, your eyes and hair will shine and your skin will be perfect. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

It's true though. Don't be too obsessive about it however. A little cream bun now and then never hurt anyone.

Answer: Cooks

"Too many cooks spoil the broth" means that if too many people put in their two bob's worth, their opinions and points of view, and constantly get in the way, sometimes the desired objective of any endeavour will be a disaster, or not come to pass at all. An example of this could be at a recent school function I attended where a large outdoor tent needed to be erected. One by one the fathers flocked to the site, all talking at once and deciding which way it should be handled - only to see nothing happen at all.

The matter was finally resolved, believe it or not, by one of the mothers present who had once been in the army. She stepped forward, took charge in her sturdy sergeant's voice - and the tent was erected in a matter of minutes.