Old Sayings

What is the origin of the saying 'spill the beans'?

• It originated in the United States in the early 20th Century

• It originated in Ancient Greece with the counting of votes using beans

• It originated in Ancient Rome with the use of beans in rituals

• It originated in China with the tradition of spilling beans for good luck

Why do we say we heard something 'straight from the horse’s mouth'?

• It originated from the practice of checking a horse's age by examining its teeth

• It originated from the idea that horses can communicate with humans

• It originated from the belief that horses are honest animals

• It originated in racing circles as a joke about betting tips

What is the origin of the phrase 'to turn a blind eye'?

• It originated from a Greek myth about a blind oracle

• It originated from a story about Admiral Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen

• It originated from a medieval practice of covering the eyes of the deceased

• It originated from a 17th-century book about walking by faith

What is the origin of the phrase 'to steal someone's thunder'?

• It originated from a Chinese folktale about a thief and a thunderstorm

• It originated from a 19th-century story about a playwright and a theatre

• It originated from a Greek myth about Zeus and his thunderbolt

• It originated from a Native American legend about stealing thunder from the gods

What is the original meaning of the phrase 'to be under the weather'?

• It referred to the feeling of being ill and in a poor situation

• It referred to the part of the ship that faced directly into bad weather

• It referred to the connection with being in some sort of trouble

• It referred to sailors being sent below deck during a storm

Which phrase is often said to have its origins in the dental method of ageing horses?

• Spill the beans

• Straight from the horse’s mouth

• To turn a blind eye

• To steal someone's thunder

What was the purpose of the thunder sheet invented by playwright John Dennis?

• To mimic the sound of galloping horses

• To generate wind effects for a play

• To produce lightning effects in a theatre

• To create storm sounds on stage

What was the original meaning of the phrase 'under the weather bow'?

• It referred to sailors being sent below deck during a storm

• It referred to the part of the ship that faced directly into bad weather

• It referred to the feeling of being ill and in a poor situation

• It referred to the connection with being in some sort of trouble

What is the connection between the phrase 'never look a gift horse in the mouth' and the dental method of ageing horses?

• It refers to the importance of checking a horse's teeth before accepting it as a gift

• It refers to the practice of examining a horse's teeth to determine its age

• It refers to the belief that a horse's age can be determined by its teeth

• It refers to the superstition of avoiding the mouth of a gift horse

What is the original meaning of the phrase 'under stress of weather'?

• It referred to the feeling of being ill and in a poor situation

• It referred to sailors being sent below deck during a storm

• It referred to the connection with being in some sort of trouble

• It referred to the part of the ship that faced directly into bad weather