Geography in Idioms And Phrases

1. This is a common phrase that is used to explain that something is just a small part of a much larger problem. The phrase comes from the fact that a very small part of the large bodies mentioned in it are visible, giving a misleading impression about their size. What is this saying that you might use in conversation or if you were out at sea?

2. This idiom is used to express the idea that something had gone wrong and then worsened or escalated. It is based on the fact that if you set something off down a slope, it is likely to keep rolling downwards. What is this phrase that you can use to talk about things going wrong?

3. A common explanation for this expression is that it refers to a classification system for clouds that was introduced in the 1800s. As amateur meteorologists, all followed their own systems of classification; the International Cloud Atlas came into being, to standardise this classification. The early versions of the Atlas placed the 'cumulonimbus' in a certain position on the list of classifications. This cloud is the highest of all cloud forms and is very fluffy. These features of the cloud, as well as its position on the list, may have given rise to this phrase. What is this phrase?

4. This saying refers to the fact that one event (usually an annoyance or a problem) is often followed by others. It refers to a form of precipitation and literally means that when this starts, it often turns into an intense deluge. What is this phrase?

5. This phrase may refer to the fact that, in some cases, moist, warm air is sucked up by storm clouds, leaving behind a vacuum, leading to a feeling of calmness and quiet. However, the clouds that drew the air away then get into action, leading to a stormy weather! What is the phrase that refers to a peaceful or untroubled period that exists just before things become chaotic?

6. This popular children's game was earlier known as Russian Scandal and acquired its present name only around 1950, in Britain. It is assumed that the name of the game reflects the fact that English speakers would have found the language, used in the name, to be quite difficult or impossible to understand. The game involves listening to someone, trying to understand what you heard and then passing that on to the next person as accurately as you can. Which country is associated with the game in the UK, as well as in India, and what is the name of the game?

7. This phrase refers to someone being defeated or encountering something that they cannot overcome. It refers to a particular field in Belgium where Napoleon Bonaparte was finally defeated by the British. Despite its name, it is not a particularly wet region! What is this phrase that goes, 'to meet your ___'?

8. This description of an intense weather phenomenon may have come from the fact that people who saw certain animals in a flood may have assumed that they had fallen from the sky. Another explanation is that the Norse god of storms, Odin, is often pictured with wolves, which can be mistaken for dogs, while certain other animals are associated with witches who are associated with rains. What is this phrase used to describe heavy rain?

9. This phrase, involving a colour and an object, refers to an event that happens rarely. According to modern folklore, it is based on a particular 29-day cycle. Based on that, this event should happen once in every two-and-a-half years. However, when this does happen, there is no change in colour. One theory states that the change in colour happened only once, in 1883, when the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa exploded and filled the skies with ash, which caused this particular change in colour for more than a year. What is this phrase?

10. This phrase is used to refer to someone who is very practical or matter-of-fact. It could also be used in comparison to someone who has 'their head in a cloud' or is not very realistic. What is this phrase that means that someone is realistic and 'grounded'?

ANSWERS:

1. The tip of the iceberg
2. Going downhill
3. Being on cloud nine (however, as of 2019, the updated International Cloud Atlas has moved the cumulonimbus clouds to 10) 4.
It never rains but it pours (the use of 'but' does not signify contradiction but indicates some outcome; the phrase means 'whenever it rains, it pours')
5. The calm before the storm
6. China; Chinese Whispers
7. Waterloo
8. Raining cats and dogs
9. Once in a blue moon
10. Down-to-earth

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