Allusions pt. 2

Stealing someone’s thunder

Language and Idioms

origin: playwright John Dennis, invented sound effect for thunder and his play was denounced by critics; then his sound effect was widely copied

definition: to take credit for an idea or lessen the effect of another’s idea by taking credit for it

Witch hunt

History, culture, ideas

origin: 1692, Salem Massachusetts- the hysteria of witches led to the arrest and execution of people; accused on flimsy evidence

definition: campaign against a particular group of people b/c unorthodox opinions or behaving in a unconventional manner

Throw down the gauntlet

Language and Idioms

origin: knights would throw down their glove (gauntlet) o challenge another, if the knight picked up the gauntlet he accepted the challenge

definition: issuing a challenge in a dramatic manner

The muses

Mythology and legend

origin: Greek mythology, nine goddesses who presided over the arts, inspiration to mortals

definition: someone’s source of inspiration, especially in artq

Kafkaesque

Literature

origin: Franz Kafka, a writer, wrote about anxiety inducing situations; The Metamorphosis

definition: a situation or experience that is bizarre, surreal, or anxiety-producing

Tower of Babel

The Bible

origin: Book of Genesis, decided to build tower that would reach Heaven; God introduced languages so the tower couldn’t be built

definition: noisy confusion

Pollyanna

Literature

origin: a character in children’s story by Eleanor H. Porter; “glad” game, find something good in every situation

definition: someone who is unusually optimistic, excessively cheerful and naive

Pavlov’s Dog

History, Culture, ad Ideas

origin: Ivan Pavlov, conditioned response, dogs salivated with the sound of a bell, conditioned to associate bell with food

definition: automatically or instinctively responds to or obeys a signal

Bedlam

Language and Idioms

origin: nickname for Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem, mental hospital; patients were given little treatment and roamed around

definition: widely chaotic or extremely raucous and noisy

The handwriting on the wall

The Bible

origin: Book of Daniel, King of Babylon threw a banquet, hand appeared and wrote messages on the wall, prophesizes that the king’s reign was over

definition: indication that doom or misfortune is coming

Albatross around one’s neck

Literature

origin: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a poem by Samuel Coleridge, sailor shoots a bird and sailor has to wear carcass around his neck

definition: burdensome, ongoing problems

Prometheus/Promethean

Mythology and Legend

origin: Greek mythology, Prometheus was a demigod known for cunning, stole fire from Zeus; was punished by being chained to a rock and bird ate liver every day

definition: resistance of authority or rebellion against the established order of the universe

Juggernaunt

history, Culture, and Ideas

origin: Hindu deity, devotees threw themselves in front of the cart and were crushed, believed immediate entry into paradise

definition: any force, especially a destructive one, that defies opposition

red herring

Language and Idioms

origin: fish that when smoked has a pungent smell; fugitives would drag a red herring across trail to distract dogs; hunters used red herrings to divert hunting dogs

definition: diverting someone onto a false trail or distracting a person from the true issue

Pharisees/Pharisaical

The Bible

origin: Jewish sect that insisted on written law, Jesus called them outwardly pious and inwardly corrupt, no true mercy for others

definition: hypocrite who upholds the letter of the law but not its spirit

Sour Grapes

Literature

origin: The Fox and the Grapes, a fable by Aesop; fox gives up on getting grapes, mutters they were probably sour anyways

definition: attitude of a person who has been disappointed and bitterly rationalizes

Sold down the river

Language and Idioms

origin: 19th century America, sell house servants to plantations in the South, felt betrayed bc plantations were worse

definition: betrayed or mislead, especially by someone trusted

Don Quixote/ Tilting at Windmills

Literature

origin: romance written by Miguel de Cervantes, the hero reads too many romances and went own knightly adventures; attacks windmills believing them to be giants

definition: foolishly or impractically idealistic; naïve attempt to be heroic

Benedict Arnold

History, Culture, and Ideas

origin: military leader during American Revolution, became traitorous; agreed to surrender a key fort to the British to get payment

definition: a traitor

Delphic Oracle

Mythology and Legend

origin: Greece, Temple of Apollo- people would go to question, priestess would answer with difficult to interpret like riddles

definition: a prediction or message that is ambiguous and difficult to interpret

Over a Barrel

Language and Idioms

origin: rescued from drowning, held over barrel, completely dependent on rescuer

definition: unable to act independently, must do the bidding

Doublespeak

Literature

origin: novel 1984, type of propaganda where language is used ambiguously

definition: deliberate use of evasive or ambiguous language

Hoist with one’s own petard

Language and Idioms

origin: weapon used in medieval warfare, exploded prematurely person would be blown up

definition: caught in one’s own trap or beaten at one’s own game

Philistines/Philistinism

The Bible

origin: old testament, enemy of the Israelites, David fought the warrior Goliath

definition: no appreciation for culture, tastes are commonplace

Faust/ Faustian Bargain

Literature

origin: plays by Christopher Marlowe, Faust bargains with Mephistopheles (devil), sells his soul to have everything he desires

definition: sacrificing one’s self or one’s values in exchange for getting what one desires, often wealth

Sisyphus/Sisyphean

Mythology and Legend

origin: Greek mythology, a king who offended Zeus, eternity in Hades doing tasks over and over

definition: seemingly endless, perhaps futile task

Scylla and Charybdis

Mythology and Legend

origin: Scylla was a sea monster, Charybdis was a whirlpool, sailors steer their ships carefully in the middle

definition: caught between two equal dangers, avoiding one means you get closer to the other

Holy Grail

Literature

origin: Medieval legend, cup from which Jesus drank at last supper, associated with King Arthur, constantly sought after

definition: extremely desirable or valuable, long and difficult quest

Luddites

History, Culture, and Ideas

origin: British laborers, opposed industrialization, smashed textile machinery

definition: opposes change, especially industrial or technological

Babylon

The Bible

origin: luxury and corruption, Jews were exiled

definition: place of decadence and corruption

Phoenix/ Rosing from the Ashes

Mythology and Legend

origin: mythological bird, live for hundreds of years then burn itself and rise from its own ashes

definition: symbolize rebirth or resurrection, surmounting great obstacles

Sine qua non

Language and Idioms

origin: Latin, means without which, nothing

definition: essential ingredient without which an endeavor or a situation would be impossible