Words by Decade 1911-1920 Trivia Quiz

Answer: From the process of cutting short a horse's tail.

In John Ayto's "20th Century Words" there is a recorded instance of "bobbed hair" in 1918. However, the noun "bob" meaning a particular style of haircut did not emerge until the 1920s.

Answer: A soldier who has had all four limbs amputated.

This is believed to have been derived from United States Army slang as an unofficial way of describing someone who has to be carried in a basket because there is nothing else to hold on to.

Answer: Because of the war the term "German shepherd dog" was not allowed by the British Kennel club.

The dog has no known connection with Alsace. The breed was well known in England and the U.S.A. before the war but sensitivity in Britain towards anything German led to the Kennel Club's action. It also led to the British Royal Family changing its own name to Windsor from the very German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Answer: The German anti-aircraft guns and the ammunition they fired.

This term surprisingly survived to the outbreak of World War II when it was largely replaced by "flak". The British pilots used the word "Archie" to show their contempt. Some theories are that it came from a music-hall song of the time which had the tag-line, "Archibald, certainly not!"

Answer: cardigans

Golfers often sported a cardigan, a sweater with buttons down the front. You can still purchase an item of clothing called a golfers cardigan. That is not the only golfing fashion statement. It is said that the first fashion fad to appear on the golf course occurred when English golfers imitated a great Scottish champion who habitually tucked his trousers inside his socks to keep himself warm.

Many and varied have been the golf fashions since that time.

Answer: Being sparing or economical, especially in the use of food.

The word derived from the name of Herbert C. Hoover who was president of the U.S.A. from 1929-1933. It was earlier whilst he was food commissioner from 1917-1919 that the term first sprang into use. The word did not survive for long once the need for economy was over.

Answer: Hindi

The original Hindi word was "khush" meaning pleasant. For a while "cushy" was also applied to wounds sustained on the battlefield which were not too painful or life threatening. They got you out of danger and either delayed or avoided your return to the action.

The word is considered Anglo-Indian slang; some authorities consider it may have come from an Urdu term rather than the Hindi one given in the Online Etymological Dictionary.

Answer: Australia

New Zealanders were also called "diggers" as well. It was particularly applied to the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who were of the lowest rank. i.e. privates. It is believed to come from the earlier sense of "someone who digs for gold" - an occupation that had a high profile in late 19th century Australia.

Answer: nursing

"Fany" was in fact "First Aid Nursing Yeomanry" and was a corps of British military nurses. Naturally the female name "Fanny" made the acronym catch on amongst the British soldiers. The American soldiers must have been puzzled for U.S. slang suggested that "Fanny" was something else!

Answer: equestrianism

The dance itself consisted of taking alternating long and short steps. It was previously used in horse-riding where it meant that the horse was made to take a series of short steps, supposedly in imitation of the movement of a fox.