Idioms

Question 1

Swan song

Answer 1

Final appearance before dying or retirement.

Derived from the legend that swans sing beautifully just before they die, after remaining mute throughout their lives.

Question 2

A white elephant

Answer 2

Expensive but useless, burdensome possession.

White (albino) elephants were considered holy in Thailand and other Asian countries. Very expensive maintenance with no use.

Question 3

Jump on the bandwagon

Answer 3

Join in with the group.

Politicians used bandwagon when campaigning for office, with the literal ‘jumping on the band wagon’ used to signify ones alliance to a politician.

Question 4

Red-letter day

Answer 4

Memorable moment, special day.

Early practice of marking the dates of church festivals in red.

Question 5

Writing on the wall

Answer 5

Unhappy future outcome.

Biblical reference: phrase written upon a palace wall in code, meaning nothing to Belshazzar but was later interpreted as a warning.

Question 6

Feather his nest

Answer 6

Enrich himself.

Alludes to birds making a soft nest for their eggs.

Question 7

Flash in the pan

Answer 7

A success unlikely to be repeated, fails to deliver anything of value after a showy beginning.

Flintlock muskets had small pans to hold charges of gunpowder. An attempt to fire the musket in which the gunpowder flared up without a bullet being fired was “a flash in the pan”.

Question 8

Pay the piper

Answer 8

Bear the consequences.

Reference to the story of the pied piper of Hamelin where the town agreed to pay him for removing the rats, but did not - resulted in him stealing their children.

Question 9

Ivory tower

Answer 9

Sheltered, unworldly isolation.

Biblical reference: symbol of virginal purity.

Question 10

Hobson’s choice

Answer 10

No choice at all (‘take it or leave it’).

Thomas Hobson sold horses, customers were essentially not allowed a choice.