Laundry Day Quiz | Idioms and Proverbs

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Diana the Discreet is the best person to share secrets with: she never tells them to anyone else, and (much to the disappointment of her nosy laundress...) always remembers to take them out of their hiding place, a certain fashion accessory, before bringing it in to be cleaned or mended. Where does she keep these secret confidences?

Answer: Under her hat

To "keep something under one's hat" means to keep something concealed, to not reveal a secret. Though the phrase is rumored to refer to a medieval practice of an archer's placing bowstrings under his hat so that they wouldn't get wet, it could simply mean keeping a secret in one's head (the most common thing found under a hat, after all).

2. Shoo, shoo, go away! Oh, sorry, not you...did you see that stinging insect come out of the bonnet Mrs. Drone left here? It nearly stung me! I didn't realize she was so stirred up about something. What did she have in her bonnet?

Answer: Bee

Someone with "a bee in their bonnet" has taken an interest in or is concerned over a certain thing or idea, possibly to the point of obsession. A bee can also be planted in someone else's bonnet - in other words, you can get them concerned about whatever it is that's taken your fancy! Having a bee in your bonnet can also mean you are angry. The term is considered to have originated from a 1648 poem by Robert Herick, "Mad Maid's Song."

(I've since heard that Mr. Drone has finally finished painting the house - Mrs. Drone's been obsessed with it for ages, gotten angry, and finally got him interested as well! That must've been what the bee was about.)

3. Aaron "Ace" von Richthofen is a talented pilot, but his methods tend to involve more intuition and instinct than learned skill. Sometimes he even likes to soar through the skies without the use of instruments! Judging from the garment he wants repaired, how does Aaron fly?

Answer: By the seat of his pants

"Flying by the seat of your pants (or trousers)," a phrase used as far back as the 1930s, can mean performing an action based on instinct, without a plan, the proper training, or usually necessary assistance. In the early days of aviation, pilots lacking the help of instrumentation had to use this method, flying by the "feel" of things. The world of computers has also adopted the phrase, "seat of your pants coding," programming without a preset plan.

Not at all related to flying, "off the cuff" can describe an ad-libbed remark made without forethought. A person who "wears his heart on his sleeve" makes his feelings known to all, does not conceal emotion. And if you've got a lead foot (not shoe), you should really let off the gas pedal a bit - you're driving much too fast!

4. That Emily Forrest wore her nice blouse again during an excursion through the woods - it's going to take a lot of mending to make it look presentable! I'll try not to get nervous about it, but you might say I'm on what?

Answer: Pins and needles

When someone is on "pins and needles" (or "tenterhooks"), they are very nervous and/or anxiously waiting for something to happen. The implication of this phrase is, being in a situation where one is unable to make themself comfortable - I, for one, certainly won't be able to relax until my mending job is done! "Pins and needles" can also describe a tingling sensation in one's extremities.

5. See that little old lady coming up the lane? Well, it's not actually a little old lady...it's Huffnpuff, the big bad wolf, disguised as Granny (he's usually friendly but I play along just in case). What is Huffnpuff the Wolf's favorite ovine costume, which conceals his dangerous nature?

Answer: Sheep's clothing

Also the name of one of Aesop's fables, a "wolf in sheep's clothing" is a dangerous person who makes himself look harmless, like a friend. In the fable, the wolf, in disguise as a sheep, ended up being slaughtered by a shepherd who mistook him for a sheep. So, one of the inevitable morals of this story is, you'll always have to pay the consequences for deception.

Another instance of a wolf in disguise is the fairy tale, "Little Red Riding Hood," in which the Big Bad Wolf disguises himself as the grandmother to entrap the little girl.

6. I don't know who brought this thing in, but their public display of grief, repentance and humility is going to be the death of me! I just can't get this piece of sackcloth clean - the problem is that it's been covered in what?

Answer: Ashes

A person who proverbially wears "sackcloth and ashes" is one who is in mourning, making known their grief, or publicly displaying penitence over an error. The association of ashes with grief and repentance reaches back into Bible times. According to the account in Jonah 3:5, 6, the King of Nineveh garbed himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes, showing his sorrow over past ways. Hmm...maybe some OxiShout'nWash (my special stain-removing formula) will do the trick with this ash-stained sackcloth...

7. Imogene Industrious is sure a hard worker! It's easy to tell which shirts belong to her, because when she is preparing for work, she always does what to her sleeves?

Answer: Rolls them up

When you "roll up your sleeves," you're getting ready to do some hard work. Though often used figuratively, the expression also has a literal meaning when one is performing physical labor. I suggest you roll up your sleeves now, and help me finish this laundry so that I can get back to quizzing!

8. Look at these trousers Mr. Greenjeans brought in, there's a hole burned in the pocket! I'll bet he couldn't wait to get whatever was on fire out of there. According to idiom, what was most likely to have been burning a hole in this pocket?

Answer: Money

When someone spends (or wastes) money as soon it comes into their possession and has difficulty saving it, it might be said that "the money is burning a hole in their pocket." At the rate such a person gets rid of money, you'd think it *was* on fire and about to burn them! Sir Thomas More of the 16th century stated it this way (paraphrased): "A little wanton money, which burned out the bottom of his purse."

9. Edward Entrepreneur is a very accomplished man who has successfully made achievements in many fields. Certainly, one would think so from looking at a certain article of clothing. What might I notice about the belt he just brought in?

Answer: It has many notches

A person who makes an achievement, especially something that could prove useful at a future time, is said to have gained another "notch on his belt" or "feather in his cap." Of course, extra notches on one's belt could also indicate an expanding waistline.

10. The Shark (he won't reveal his real name) is always prepared and keeps a secret resource with him, giving himself an advantage. But he forgot to remove it from his garment when bringing his laundry in! Where did I find his reserve card?

Answer: Up his sleeve

If you seem to have reached the end of the line and cannot think of a way out, you'd better hope someone has a "card (or ace/trick) up their sleeve" - a resource they've kept hidden, perhaps, for just such a rough time. The Shark really isn't dishonest (we'll say that, anyway...), but this expression comes from a practice of gamblers who cheated by keeping a winning card hidden in their sleeve.

While North American usage refers to these people as card sharks, British usage is more commonly card sharp.

Source: Author darthrevan89

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor CellarDoor before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Laundry Day Trivia Quiz

Welcome to the Idiomatic Laundromat, where the most eccentric customers are served with a smile and every article of clothing relates to a well-known idiom or proverb. To answer each question, you'll need to complete the defined idiom. Happy Laundry Day!

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