Idiomatic Anatomy Trivia Quiz

The term "break a leg" is used to wish a performer good luck before they go on stage. In theatre circles, it was considered inauspicious to actually use the words luck. Instead it was felt wishing someone would break their leg would result in the opposite happening - the person giving a flawless performance.

While some theories state that this idiom originated in Germany, it gained popularity in American theatre circles in the early 20th century.

To be the apple of one's eye refers to someone much cherished and held very dear. The phrase originally had a more literal meaning and referred to the pupil within the eye. The term appears in many places in the King James translation of the Bible. Some examples include Psalm 17:8 "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings", and Deuteronomy 32:10: "He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye."

The idiom the long arm of the law is self-explanatory. It means you cannot escape the reach of the authorities. This phrase originated as a proverb in the 16th century stating 'Kings have long arms' which had the same meaning as the modern idiom. It was updated in the early 20th century to reflect the change in governance with monarchies getting abolished or diminishing in relevance in various parts of the world.

To give someone the cold shoulder is to ignore them. Per multiple sources, Scottish author Sir Walter Scott is credited with coining this phrase. The first written reference is from his book "The Antiquary", that was published in 1816. He also used it in a later work, "St. Ronan's Well" published in 1924.

It then gained popularity and was used by other authors like Charles Dickens in his novel "The Old Curiosity Shop".

The usage of "toe the line" as an idiom is to denote the conformation with accepted standards or rules. The earliest known written reference is from the British Army's "The Army Regulator" published in the mid-18th century. It referred to soldiers standing in line during formation. It was also used in sport where runners had to stand with their toes on the line at the start of a race.

To have an albatross around one's neck indicates a heavy burden carried by a person. It originates from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner". In the poem, a sailor kills an albatross and brings bad luck upon himself. He is then made to carry the dead bird around his neck. Another similar expression is to have a millstone around one's neck.

The idiom "foot in the door" is used to indicate gaining an entry into a place or position and then using this to further advance oneself. The origin of this phrase is considered to have been the literal 'foot in the door' that door-to-door salesmen used to avoid having the door slammed on them.

A knee jerk reaction is an automatic response or an involuntary reflex action. This idiom originated from biology and medicine. When the knee is hit sharply, it jerks involuntarily. This is scientifically known as the patellar reflex named after the patella or the knee bone.

Idiomatically, taking it on the chin means to endure any hardship or difficulty without complaint. It could also mean taking the full impact of a negative event. In this usage, the meaning is more that the person had no choice but to endure the setback. The term originated from the sport of boxing and had the literal meaning of the pugilist taking a punch or jab straight to the face.

"Elbow grease" is an idiom to describe any strenuous, physical labour. The first written references to this phrase date back to the late 17th century. It even made it to the "New Dictionary of the Canting Crew" as a disparaging reference to sweat. Similar idioms also exist in other languages including the French term "huile de bras" or "arm oil" and the Dutch phrase "knofedt" ("knuckle fat").