Bar None! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Crow

Who would think putting a word that refers to a large perching bird in front of the word "bar" would make the name of tool you might keep in your shed or trunk?

A crowbar goes by other names as well, including wrecking bar, jimmy, or, my personal favorite, pig foot. Usually made from carbon steel in a variety of lengths, the typical crowbar has a C-curve on one end, and V-s on both ends to remove nails. It also comes in quite handy when fighting zombies -- it's sharp and effective yet light enough to carry around.

Answer: A row or column of selectable icons on a screen

Not to be confused with "toolbox," a toolbar is part of a graphical interface that serves as a menu of choices. Originally, a strip of information at the top or side of a screen was referred to as a "ribbon," but it developed into a toolbar as interfaces became more complex. Toolbars are now standard elements of most web browsers.

Answer: He's been in prison

This is what makes learning English so challenging -- put the preposition "behind" in front of the word bar and you're in new territory. Being behind bars refers to being imprisoned. In old movies, prisons had bars, but in more recent times, they've been replaced in large part by reinforced glass, metal doors, and concrete walls.

Answer: Anchovies, eggs, and parmesan cheese

Step right up to the salad bar and make yourself a Caesar salad, starting with romaine lettuce and ending with a generous topping of croutons. The dressing generally has anchovies, lemon, olive oil, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper.

Food historians generally agree that the Caesar salad was created by Caesar Cardini; Cardini was born in Italy, lived in California, and traveled frequently across the border to Tijuana. His daughter has reported that he first served this now-iconic salad at a Fourth of July party in 1924 when he was running out of food, so he used what he had on hand.

Answer: Original Skittles

"Bar" is used specifically to describe food that is served in a single four-cornered piece. Explaining to English students why "bar" would be used for a brownie but not a slice of cake is not easy.

Skittles first appeared in tiny ellipsoid shapes in flavors lemon, lime, grape, orange, and strawberry. We don't seem to know the exact history of Skittles, but they were created in Britain and were widely available there by 1974. In 1979, they burst into the North American candy market.

Answer: Military

Many branches of the military use bars to note specific accomplishments. Three common types of military bars include citation, service, and indicator. A citation bar is the embroidered version of a medal, given for outstanding service such as injury while fighting for one's country or performing an extraordinary act of bravery.

A service bar indicates number of years served or location of service; for example, those who served in Vietnam were award a yellow ribbon -- or bar -- with three red stripes in the middle. An indicator bar points to specific training or achievement, such as excellent marksmanship or training experience.

Answer: A precept or commandment, or a good deed

A mitzvah is a decree or commandment, or a praiseworthy deed done in good faith. Formalized mitzvahs include reciting a blessing before eating, lighting Shabbat candles, and celebrating Hanukkah. Every day mitzvahs could range from helping a stranger with groceries or giving a large amount of your time to someone in need.

Answer: Celebrate what you've accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed.

"The bar" is a metaphor in this case for a standard that can be raised or lowered.

"Celebrate what you've accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed" is a great quotation from Mia Hamm, professional soccer player and Olympian.

Answer: Law

The word bar when applied to the law is functioning as a metonym, which is what occurs when the name of an object related to a field or concept is used to represent the field or concept itself. A similar example would be "treading the boards," an idiom to describe acting, where actors often perform on wooden stages.

In this case, "the bar" stands for the law; it can refer to the legal profession in general, a professional association of lawyers, or the examination required to join the profession.

Answer: Slippery spoon

Speakeasy, watering hole, joint, along with pub, alehouse, saloon, and tavern are all informal ways of referring to a drinking bar. "Slippery spoon" is nothing; a greasy spoon is used to describe a diner that usual has cheap prices, fatty food, and dirty floors.