Idiomatic Red, White and Blue Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bull

The expression is relatively recent, apparently being used for the first time in 1873 in a novel written by Charlotte Yonge which was called 'Pillars of the House'. Prior to that, the expression had been 'red rag to a viper', found in 1809, and 'red rag to a pheasant' dating from 1724. Bulls are unable to see the colour red in any event, and it is the movement of the cloth, rather than its colour, that causes the annoyance.

Answer: Purity

Shakespeare used the expressions 'pure as snow' in his play 'Macbeth' in 1605 and 'white as driven snow' in 'The Winter's Tale' in 1611. The Bible also has a reference to 'white as snow' in the book of Daniel. The effects of illness or shock can be described by the expression 'white as a sheet', while cowardice is more often linked with the colour yellow, although you can be 'lily livered'. Cleanliness is, of course, next to Godliness.

Answer: True blue

The expression is believed to have come from a blue cloth produced in Coventry, England, in the middle ages. The cloth did not fade when washed, and remained colourfast or true. A book from 1670, called 'A Compleat Collection of English Proverbs', carries a reference to this origin. 'A blue rinse' is used as shorthand for females who are traditional in their views, and cover their fading hair with a bluish shade of dye.

The other two expressions were concocted to fit the theme of the quiz.

Answer: True

There are two versions of the saying: 'red sky at night, shepherd's delight; red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning' being probably better known than the other one, which substitutes sailor for shepherd. Weather is of importance in both occupations, of course, and the saying does have a basis of truth. A version of the expression can be found in the Bible, in Matthew XVI.

Answer: Blanche

'Carte blanche' translates to English literally as 'white card' and originated from the surrender terms in a military engagement. The first references to it date from the early eighteenth century and the expression has passed into common English usage, often used to refer to a 'blank cheque/check'.

Answer: Blue and red

Idiomatically, especially in the UK, you are more likely to come across the expression 'to blue pencil' something. Blue pencils were traditionally used by editors to mark items for deletion from written work or copy prior to publishing. They also used red pencils to mark changes to be made, such as spelling errors.

The expression 'to blue pencil' then spread to refer to censorship in general, particularly where the writing is viewed as salacious. In some other countries censorship is referred to as 'red pencil', and is likely to be for political reasons.

Answer: Red-letter

The phrase 'red-letter day' comes from the times when church festivals were highlighted in red on the calendar. The first Book of Common Prayer, published in 1549, had all the holy days marked in red. It has now passed into everyday usage to describe any day which has a special meaning, like your wedding day, the day you get your dream job or the birth of a child.

A blue-plate special is an American expression referring to a low priced meal and white-bread is another Americanism to describe someone boring. White knuckle is used to describe something frightening, such as a roller coaster ride, where gripping hard makes your knuckles turn white.

Answer: Aristocracy

Members of the nobility are said to be 'blue blooded', compared to we poor commoners who have to put up with the normal red stuff. The expression comes from the Spanish aristocracy, who prided themselves on the purity of their bloodline having never intermarried with other groups.

The Spanish expression is 'sangre azul' and is attributed to the fact that the veins of the nobles looked bluer against their fair skin than those of the common people who worked in the open air. The police are sometimes referred to as 'the boys in blue', and sailors wear a navy blue uniform, but I can't find any blue link to fishermen.

Answer: Covering up a misdeed

A 'whitewash' is used to cover up bad behaviour, which could be by an individual or an organisation or political party. The expression seems to have first been used with this meaning in America, with reference to President John Adams in 1800. The derivation is the relatively cheap paint, made from chalk and lime, which can be used to cover up grimy walls, but is not particularly long lasting.

It is now used, or over-used, to refer to any allegation of wrong-doing, with most enquiries being described as a 'white-wash', no matter how thoroughly they have been conducted.

Answer: Red

Being embarrassed can cause the release of stress hormones, which dilate the blood vessels near the surface of the face, making you blush. The same happens with exercise or anger, both of which can cause facial redness. To be blue in the face means to be making a great effort, and someone who is white faced could be ill or shocked, with the blood having drained from it. To be green faced is to be feeling nauseous.