Created by Paul Tremaine
from the Left Cost of the USA :-)
Updated: December 2003

Paul's Words Explanations

Go back to "Little English Quiz"

1. "It's cold outside kids, wear your mufflers", would you put on a
   
   a) heavy wool coat
   b) rubber boots
   c) long scarf
   d) gloves
   
   Answer - c. A muffler on a car deadens the sound coming from the exhaust of the engine. A muffler for your throat protects it from the cold.
   
   
2. "I was all dressed up in spats", did the man wear -
   
   a) a tuxedo
   b) a silk dinner jacket
   c) coverings for his shoes
   d) white gloves
   
   Answer - c. Spats are usually leather or heavy cloth coverings that go over shoes in formal dress such as a tuxedo. Although not worn much anymore, they were a compliment to a well-mannered gentleman's wardrobe a century ago.
   
   
3. "He wore his bib and tucker", was he wearing -
   
   a) a swimsuit
   b) a tuxedo
   c) jeans and a T-shirt
   d) casual nightwear
   
   Answer - b. A "bib" is a small apron for babies, to protect them from spilling food on their chest. You "tuck" a shirt into your trousers, hence the solid white front of a tuxedo is the bib and the long tails of the shirt are the "tucker".
   
   
4. "He was seen in his white fronts", in America you would say -
   
   a) boxing shorts
   b) briefs
   c) naked as a jay bird
   d) pajamas (or jam-jams as they say in England)
   
   Answer - b. Underwear for men usually comes in the abbreviated, tight fitting variety - briefs, or the longer, open-legged, loose style - boxers. For some reason they have been white since their original introduction and the English use the term "white fronts".
   
   
5. "What did he say his moniker was?" You are asking his -
   
   a) rank in the military
   b) occupation
   c) marital status
   d) name
   
   Answer - d. A moniker is your name. Originally an old Irish word, it was used in New York with the influx of immigrants and has been used since in this country.
   
   
6. "She just lavished on him." She -
   
   a) served his every need
   b) wanted a divorce
   c) wanted to go shopping all the time
   d) wanted him to take a bath
   
   Answer - a. To lavish is from the French, lavasse, meaning downpour of rain. It is used when something is profusely offered.
   
   

Go back to "Little English Quiz"