Dow on my Mind Trivia Quiz

Answer: Widow

The term for a man in a similar situation is widower.

Vrindavan is a town located ten kilometers away from Mathura, the birth place of the Hindu god Krishna according to mythology in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is known as the 'City of Widows' as a large number of these women abandoned by their families after the death of their husbands make their way here to live out their days in the various ashrams of the city by eking out a livelihood through begging.

Answer: Dowse

Dowsing is a pseudoscience where the practitioner uses a Y or L shaped rod to locate water, minerals or gemstones underground. The origins of this practice can be traced back to the 15th century in Germany and it was also listed by theologian, Martin Luther, as a sin against the first of the ten commandments listed in the Bible.

Answer: Meadow

Meadows are wide, open areas containing mainly grass. They are used as grazing fields for animals.

Answer: Window

The word window is believed to have originated from the Old Norse word 'vindauga' which translates to 'wind eye'. Different types include casement (hinged on either the right or left side and opens outward), bay (three or more panels at different angles protruding from the wall) and picture (fixed into the wall and doesn't open but provides clear view), among others.

Answer: Foreshadow

Foreshadowing is also a technique used by various writers to give readers subtle hints on the way the plot may turn. This is different from a red herring which is a deliberate attempt to mislead the reader into guessing incorrectly.

Answer: Dowdy

Other synonyms for dowdy include frumpy and drab. The term may have been derived from the Middle English word doude used to describe an unattractive or badly dressed woman.

Answer: Endow

To endow could mean to present a person or entity with property or income. It can also be used in the context of bestowing someone with a particular ability.

Answer: Dowry

A famous historical example of this practice is the transfer of the islands which later formed the city of Bombay (now known as Mumbai) from the Portuguese to the British on the marriage of Charles II of England with Catherine of Braganza, the daughter of King John IV of Portugal.

Answer: India

The word may have been derived from a south Indian language called Kannada which uses the word 'gadangu' for a storehouse. Alternately, the origin may also be traced to the Malay word 'godong' which has a similar meaning.

Answer: Dowager

Generally used in conjunction with royal or aristocratic titles, it can also be used to describe a wealthy widow with no title. One of the most famous women to be known by this title was the Empress Dowager Cixi of China. Though she was only the concubine and not the wife of Xianfeng Emperor, the 9th Emperor of the Qing dynasty, her son ended up assuming the throne at the young age of five on the death of his father.

The boy's young age and early demise fourteen years later resulted in Cixi wielding control over the affairs of the empire for almost fifty years until her death in 1908.