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Dr Johnson's English Trivia Quiz

Dr Johnson compiled his dictionary in 1755, and would have been very familiar with the following words; however, they have since fallen into disuse, so I'll give you the word, you select the correct meaning.

A multiple-choice quiz by kittyconner. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
kittyconner

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
92,895

Updated
Oct 16 24

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
13 / 25

Plays
859

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. What is an alexandrine, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a fruit

a line of poetry

a port

a love of all things Greek

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Question 2 of 25

2. What is a bagnio, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a musical instrument

a farmhouse

a bracelet

a bath house

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Question 3 of 25

3. Who or what was a clicker, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a tap dancer

a bird

a salesman

an insect

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Question 4 of 25

4. Who could be described as a deemster, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a teacher

a judge

a union official

a barrister

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Question 5 of 25

5. What was empasm, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a powder

a declaration of love

a void

a sense of sympathy

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Question 6 of 25

6. What was a fob, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a watch

a small bag

a purse

a small pocket

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Question 7 of 25

7. What or who was a gullcatcher, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a cheat

a trap

a hawk

a plant

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Question 8 of 25

8. 'Hyp' is only a little word; what does it mean, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

happiness

melancholia

joint of the body

highest part of a hill

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Question 9 of 25

9. If you were about to impignorate, what would you be about to do, as the term is defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

paint something

dye something

sell something

pawn something

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Question 10 of 25

10. Jack is a common enough word, but what does it mean, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a diminutive for John

a cup of waxed leather

a part of an engine which turns a spit

all of these

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Question 11 of 25

11. How would you define a knuff, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

as a polishing cloth

as a young woman

as a decorative cuff

as a lout

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Question 12 of 25

12. Who would you describe as a landloper, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a cattle rustler

a non-seafaring man

an interloper

a land owner

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Question 13 of 25

13. What would you use a malkin for, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

to clean an oven

to comb your hair

to brush your teeth

to sweep the floor

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Question 14 of 25

14. What is a neaf, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a fist

a thumb

a finger

a fingernail

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Question 15 of 25

15. How would you define the word owler, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

as a bird fancier

as a smuggler

as a mistake

as a debt

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Question 16 of 25

16. Who was a palmer, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a conjurer

a fortune teller

a pickpocket

a pilgrim

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Question 17 of 25

17. What would you do with quiddany, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

drink it

eat it

spend it

save it

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Question 18 of 25

18. To ranch is to do what, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

to graze

to bruise

to fracture

to sprain

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Question 19 of 25

19. If you looked at a shaw, what would you see, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a barren field

a shingle beach

a treeless plain

a small wood

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Question 20 of 25

20. Tricksy means what, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

plain

honest

crafty

pretty

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Question 21 of 25

21. True or False : Usquebaugh is the Erse word for 'water of life', according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary.

True

False

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Question 22 of 25

22. What was a voider, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a basket

a shy person

a tool

an empty space

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Question 23 of 25

23. Wassail is a word still used sometimes today. How did Dr. Johnson define it? Hint

a liquour of pears, sugar and ale

a liquour of pears, sugar and cider

a liquour of apples, sugar and cider

a liquour of apples, sugar and ale

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Question 24 of 25

24. To yean is to do what, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

to raise cattle

to give birth to a lamb or kid

to breed chickens

to rear pigs

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Question 25 of 25

25. Zedoary originated in India, but what was it, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary? Hint

a prickly plant

a spicy plant

a carnivorous plant

a poisonous plant

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is an alexandrine, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a line of poetry

The line of poetry consists of 12 syllables, and iss arranged in couplets. The term was originally from the French.

2. What is a bagnio, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a bath house

As a 'bagnio' also contained a 'sweating room', we would probably know it as a sauna.

3. Who or what was a clicker, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a salesman

The name was given to those salesmen whose job it was to stand outside the shop/store, and 'encourage' potential customers inside to buy.

4. Who could be described as a deemster, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a judge

This word is still in use on the islands of Jersey and Isle of Man.

5. What was empasm, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a powder

It was a powder 'to correct the bad scent of the body'. All I can say is, "Thank goodness for modern plumbing and deodorant".

6. What was a fob, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a small pocket

The fob was a small pocket in either a waistcoat or jacket. It was specifically designed to hold a small strapless watch.

7. What or who was a gullcatcher, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a cheat

This was someone who preyed on gullible people. Today we would probably know that type of person as a confidence trickster or a con man.

8. 'Hyp' is only a little word; what does it mean, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: melancholia

This is a case of a word changing its meaning, for if we add an E to the end of the word we get quite the opposite meaning today.

9. If you were about to impignorate, what would you be about to do, as the term is defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: pawn something

No wonder this word fell out of favour, for it's far easier to 'pawn' your watch, that to 'impignorate' it.

10. Jack is a common enough word, but what does it mean, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: all of these

It was also the name of an instrument for pulling off one's boots, and very sour wine that was well past its sell-by date.

11. How would you define a knuff, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: as a lout

It's somehow a little reassuring that even our forebears had trouble with their youngsters.

12. Who would you describe as a landloper, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a non-seafaring man

This word was used as a term of abuse by seamen towards those who lived on shore. These days, a variant (landlubber) is in more common use.

13. What would you use a malkin for, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: to clean an oven

This was a mop used to clean ovens, it was also called a maulkin or a scovel.

14. What is a neaf, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a fist

This word is still in use in some parts of Scotland, the plural being neaves.

15. How would you define the word owler, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: as a smuggler

As smugglers usually carried their contraband by night it's appropriate that they should be named after a bird that also does his business by night.

16. Who was a palmer, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a pilgrim

The word derives from the branches of palms that pilgrims brought with them on their return from the Holy Land.

17. What would you do with quiddany, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: eat it

It was a preserve made from quinces and sugar, a kind of jam or marmalade.

18. To ranch is to do what, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: to sprain

The word is an old corruption of 'to wrench'.

19. If you looked at a shaw, what would you see, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a small wood

As in 'Gentleshaw' which is, or was, a small wooded area in Staffordshire.

20. Tricksy means what, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: pretty

It was also used as a term of endearment.

21. True or False : Usquebaugh is the Erse word for 'water of life', according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary.

Answer: true

Of course 'water of life' is none other that whiskey.

22. What was a voider, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a basket

It was a small basket used to carry the remains of meat from the table after a meal.

23. Wassail is a word still used sometimes today. How did Dr. Johnson define it?

Answer: a liquour of apples, sugar and ale

Today you could also go 'A'Wassailing' as in the Christmas song. The modern spelling of liquour would be liquor, but now it usually refers to distilled alcoholic drinks, rather than just meaning a liquid refreshment. Modern wassail is most commonly described as a hot spiced cider.

24. To yean is to do what, as defined in Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: to give birth to a lamb or kid

Sometimes it was used to refer to bringing up young, but it should only be used in connection with sheep or goats.

25. Zedoary originated in India, but what was it, according to Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

Answer: a spicy plant

It was a plant that was almost like turmeric, but it had a sweet and pleasant scent.

Source: Author kittyconner

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor nerthus before going online.
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