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Words With A Story Trivia Quiz

There are so many words we use frequently without noticing there is some kind of story linked to them. See if you can link these with their supposed origin, meaning etc.

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

Author
flem-ish

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
58,482

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1081

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Why do we link hares with the month of March as in March Hare? Hint

it's their rutting season

because hare is a typical Easter dish

because at Easter we eat chocolate hares

because March is when they awake from hibernating

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which of these "explanations" is one of the theories about the origin of the expression "as mad as a hatter"? Hint

not wearing your hat correctly was considered one of the first signs of lunacy

hatters always have been very touchy because they depend so much on the caprices of fashion

The phrase derives from a Mad (agressive) Adder

the link is with the crazy makers of large carnival hats

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Question 3 of 10

3. When Edward III wanted to stress his rights to the French throne he introduced the French heraldic lily into his coat of arms. What's the correct name for such a lily? Hint

French Lilac

Lisle de France

Fleur de Lys

Fleur Blanche

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which of these is NOT a characteristic of the Highland-style cap the name of which derives from 'Glengarry' (near Inverness)? Hint

rises to a point in front

has a pompom

has ribbons hanging behind it

made of wool

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Question 5 of 10

5. What would always have been available at a pub that called itself the Nag's Head ? Hint

a dog-cart

a broomstick

a coach

a pony or other small riding-horse

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Question 6 of 10

6. A 'claymore' is a fairly well-known Scottish word for a Highland-style , one-handed, two-edged sword. What does the Celtic element MOR(E) mean in this context? Hint

small

used at sea

sharp

large

7. In England a pedestrian crossing with a flashing amber light is called a Belisha beacon. Which of the following statements is untrue about the inventor of those Belisha beacons, Hore-Belisha, the minister of transport in Neville Chamberlain's government? Hint

He was a Sephardic Jew.

He advocated a common citizenship for the British Empire and the United states

He was the first to propose traffic-free city centres.

He instituted military conscription inthe spring of 1939.

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Question 8 of 10

8. When the Romans came to Britain they imported some of their games. One of them was 'quoits'.But as they did not find 'quoits' so very easily, they used substitutes for the quoits.What game developed from that substitute? Hint

ninepins

snakes and ladders

horseshoe pitching

ducks and drakes

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Question 9 of 10

9. What do moonlighters specialise in ? Hint

having a second extra job in addition to their regular one

illegal smuggling of whisky

romantic walks during a moonlit night

illegal distilling of whisky

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Question 10 of 10

10. There is a(n) (unreliable) story that sirloin (part of beef ABOVE the loin) was such a good quality that some King decided to 'knight the beef'.Which would explain the sir-element.What was the honorary title that later was given to :TWO sirloins left uncut at the backbone? Hint

king's beef

baron of beef

king's loin

double loin

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Why do we link hares with the month of March as in March Hare?

Answer: it's their rutting season

Most hares that hibernate do so in the deepfreezer.

2. Which of these "explanations" is one of the theories about the origin of the expression "as mad as a hatter"?

Answer: The phrase derives from a Mad (agressive) Adder

The original word for Adder happens to be Nadder. A Nadder was read as An Adder. And somehow the misunderstanding further developed into A Hatter.- There are two alternative explanations mentioned by Brewer:mercurous nitrate was used in the making of felt hats which effects can produce St.Vitus dance.And a reference to some Robert Crab an eccentric hatter living at Chesham (17th century.)

3. When Edward III wanted to stress his rights to the French throne he introduced the French heraldic lily into his coat of arms. What's the correct name for such a lily?

Answer: Fleur de Lys

Also the boy-scouts have the Fleur de Lys as their heraldic symbol.

4. Which of these is NOT a characteristic of the Highland-style cap the name of which derives from 'Glengarry' (near Inverness)?

Answer: rises to a point in front

Both the Tam o'Shanter and the Glengarry hat have a pom-pom, called a toorie.

5. What would always have been available at a pub that called itself the Nag's Head ?

Answer: a pony or other small riding-horse

There is no link with hag.

6. A 'claymore' is a fairly well-known Scottish word for a Highland-style , one-handed, two-edged sword. What does the Celtic element MOR(E) mean in this context?

Answer: large

Large as in Glen-mor= large glen.

Answer: He was the first to propose traffic-free city centres.

Answer: horseshoe pitching

Quoits are metal rings. A horseshoe is a possible substitute.- Ninepins is played with bottle-shaped wooden pins.Other name: skittles. - Ducks and drakes is the name of a game whereby a flattish stone is made to skip across the surface of a pond as many times as possible before sinking.- Snakes and ladders is a boardgame.

9. What do moonlighters specialise in ?

Answer: having a second extra job in addition to their regular one

Illegal smuggling or distilling of whisky is called moon SHINING. Moonlighters kind of work when there is no daylight to be seen.

Answer: baron of beef

The knighting of the beef is ascribed to James I.
The true explanation of "sirloin" is very prosaic. It is an adaptation of French "surlonge". "Sur-longe" literally means: part above the loin.
The "apocryphal" story about King James knighting the beef may have led to the misleading spelling "sirloin". "Surloyn" is an older and etymologically more correct spelling.
The mythological "sirloin story" led to the invention of the term "barron of beef".

Source: Author flem-ish

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