Weather Idioms
Random Trivia
Word-E
Facts & Figures
Signs of Spring
100

This never strikes twice

What is Lightning?
Tell that to the Empire State Building, which gets struck around 25 times a year.

100

These large, spooky birds typically hoot.

What are owls? Some owls make other sounds, such as bloodcurdling shrieks, cackles, hoots, caws, and gurgles.

100

This vegetable’s name sounds like it would be a hen’s contribution to the meal.

What is eggplant?
Small eggplants look like large, egg-shaped produce. Botanically, the eggplant is a fruit.

100

This is the number of petals on a shamrock.

It’s the national flower of Ireland, and you’ll see it everywhere on St. Patrick’s Day because everyone is Irish on March 17.

100

This is in the air.

What is love?
It’s mating season in the animal kingdom. For all of us, it signals rebirth and fresh hopes.

200

To go after a seemingly impossible dream is to chase one of these.

What is a rainbow?
The chance of catching a literal rainbow on any given day approaches zero. Successful entrepreneurs, such as Fred Smith of FedEx fame, often chase metaphorical rainbows. His company is the result of a paper at Yale University, which earned him a C. He later gambled the last $5,000 in the company coffers to buy fuel for the company’s airplanes.

200

Mayors sometimes honor dignitaries with this symbolic gift.

What is the key to the city? During ancient times, the key to the city opened a gate in the wall surrounding the city. Today, it’s symbolic.

200

These French pastries are oblong and filled with a cream or custard filling.

What are éclairs?
Sometimes they’re topped with chocolate fondant

200

The element CO2 , known by this name, is blamed for causing climate change.

Plants don’t “breathe” the same way we do, but they do exchange the gases carbon dioxide and oxygen with the atmosphere.

200

Spring has done this.

What is sprung?
Sprung means “to quickly jump.” We don’t meander into spring; we jump into it wholeheartedly.

300

When feeling sick, we might say we’re under this.

What is the weather?
This idiom’s origins may be traced to sailors who felt seasick. They were sent below deck, out of the way of—or under—the weather.

300

This extends beneath the ear.

What is the earlobe? The earlobe helps maintain balance and provides warmth to the ear.

300

What are éclairs? Sometimes they’re topped with chocolate fondant

What is earthenware?
The clay is hardened by firing it in a kiln between 900–1,110°F. Stoneware and porcelain are fired at higher temperatures.

300

This is the main ingredient in household dust.

What are dead skin cells?
Researchers have found that people shed around 200 million dead skin cells every hour

300

The first day of this usually occurs on March 19, 20, or 21 in the northern hemisphere.

What is spring? It’s the first day of fall in the southern hemisphere. The lengths of days and nights are equal in both hemispheres. That’s why the first day of spring and fall are called equinoxes.

400

When people go through an unsuccessful period, they go through this kind of spell.

What is dry?
 A dry spell might be caused by a drought of ideas.

400

This airline booked reservations for the first flight to the moon.

What is Pan Am? They booked 90,000 reservations, but the flight never happened. Today, SpaceX and others are pioneering space tourism travel.

400

When a person flees his country to live in another country, he is said to live in this state.

What is exile?
It’s a common occurrence among heads of state who are considered enemies by their political opponents and fear for their lives.

400

The Rubik’s Cube has this number of sides.

What is six?
The world record for solving the Rubik’s Cube is 3.13 seconds.

400

One of the Beatles’ early hits is “Here Comes the [missing word].”

What is sun? Winter is usually extremely gloomy in England, but in 2019, the sun popped out in February, and temperatures soared. They called it “fool’s spring.”

500

When people are extremely angry, they can have a face like this.

What is thunder? The phrase “a face like thunder” is thought to date to the late 18th century

500

You can see these manufactured structures in Dubai from space due to the sharp contrast between them and the surrounding area.

What are Palm Islands? These artificial islands were created using satellite positioning technology to spray sand in the desired locations.

500

This title of British nobility is the equivalent of a French count.

What is earl? It’s the oldest British title of nobility.

500

Before Alaska joined the Union, the United States had this number of states.

What is 48? Alaska gained statehood on January 3, 1959. Hawaii was the 50th state, admitted to the Union seven months later, on August 21, 1959.

500

The Egyptians built the Great Sphinx so that it points directly toward this on the first day of spring.

What is the sun?
The sun sets on this half-man, half?lion’s shoulders twice a year during the spring and fall equinox.

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