Allusion test

catch-22

catch-22

a no win situation, absurd

originated: Joseph Heller- book setting in WWII, airman request wouldn't be relieved, only if insane, but it was seen sane to do a dangerous mission

Lot's wife, pillar of salt

someone who disobeys rule; looks back on their actions

Lot and family allowed to leave city before destroyed, God told them not to look back, but wife did and she got turned to salt

letting the cat out of the bag

secret is being revealed

originated: medieval times when farmer tried to sell cats instead of pigs

buying a pig in a poke

buying something without seeing it; an unwise decision because of the risks involved

originated: medieval times, buy pigs without checking if it was a cat

fifteen minutes of fame

when someone receives attention for something trivial

originated: Andy Warhol, American pop artist, commented on his media coverage by saying it could happen to anyone

skeleton in the closet

a unpleasant secret that one would prefer to keep hidden

originated: skeleton's can be frightening, who would want to see one

burning bush

a medium which a voice of absolute authority speaks

originated: God spoke to Moses through a bush which burned but was never consumed; told him to lead that people to the Promise Land

noble savage

a person who has not been corrupted by society

originated: Rousseau, believed people were born good and innocent, and it was civilization that caused them to loose it

a chip on one's shoulder

someone who is resentful; looking to pick a fight

originated: young boys would dare someone to knock off a wood chip on their shoulders, would be the reason to start a fight

loaves and fishes

having a miraculous abundance of something when it seemed scarce

originated: in the gospels Jesus would preach to thousands of people, only had five loaves and two fish; fed everyone plus extra left

fiddle while Rome burns

showing indifference in a time of emergency

originated: Roman emperor Nero played his fiddle while Rome was consumed in flames, disregarded people's hardship

white elephant

something that is seen as an inconvenience to owner, no use; may even cause financial hardship

originated: the rare breed of elephant did not work, so the cost of feeding them was more than the profit they generated; King of Siam would gift them to those he disliked

non sequitur

unrelated to what has been said before, doesn't logically follow

originated: Latin for "it does not follow"

golden calf

an idol that is not worthy of worship

originated: people out of the Promise Land started to worship a golden calf they created; Moses was angered because they weren't worshipping God

left-handed compliment

a compliment that is more insulting in a way

originated: being left-handed is associated with a sinister side sometimes in the English language

emperor's new clothes

someone who points out the falseness of something even when others are afraid to point out the truth

originated: in a Hans Christian Anderson story, swindlers claim to make the fitting clothes of r a emperor, call them "invisible" clothes, emperor wears them to parade and a little boy finally shouts that he is naked

waterloo

meeting one's ultimate defeat

originated: Napoleon was defeated at the battle of Waterloo 1815

NIMBY

even though people are aware of some unpleasant realities, they insist for them to be located away from where they live; example is prisons or landfills

originated: acronym for "not in my backyard"

bread and circus

polices in place meant to keep the public content while there are concerning issues going on

originated: Roman Empire, government would provide people with food and entertainment to keep them in line; write declared this shameful that they could easily be regulated

an Icarus, fly too close to the sun

someone to fail because of too much ambition and lack of caution

originated: Icarus was warned by his father not to fly close to the sun because his wings were constructed of wax, he did not listen and fell to his death

sound and fury

a great passionate uproar that ends up being meaningless

originated: in Shakespeare's Macbeth, when Macbeth finds out his wife had died, but ended up saying life is meaningless anyways

all that glitters is not gold

appearances can be deceiving, something that appears valuable may be fake

originated: a proverb from Aristotle

ivory tower

someone who is secluded from the real world, out of touch with reality

originated: poet, Alfred deVigny shut himself in a ivory tower to write

thirty pieces of silver

payment received for an act of betrayal

originated: Judas received thirty pieces of silver for identifying Jesus

betrayed with a kiss

when a supposed friends betrays you

originated: Judas was a disciple of Jesus but betrayed him for a payment, identified him to the authorities with a kiss

read the riot act

to issue a stern warning that if bad behavior does not cease, then their will be consequence

originated: the English Common Law had to read the Riot Act to a unruly crowd to force them to disperse

sirens

anything that tempts a person towards a destructive path/decision

originated: Greek mythology, sirens would lure sailors to their deaths with a beautiful and irresistible song

crocodile tears

to show false sympathy for someone

originated: previously thought that crocodiles shed tears before devouring their prey, obviously don't really have feelings of remorse

pearls before swine

giving something precious to someone without them being able to appreciate its value

originated: Jesus told people to spread the word to those who would appreciate it; "cast not your pearls before swine" pigs wouldn't appreciate pearls

crossing the Rubicon

taking an irreversible step

originated: when Caesar took his army across the Rubicon river, entering civil war because he violated the law

pound of flesh

someone's insistence on being repaid, even if it causes damage to the debtor

originated: Shakespeare, moneylender demanded pound of flesh because fleet of ships didn't return

Achille's heel

a person's spot of vulnerability

originated: his heel was the only place that did not touch the River Styx, and so when a arrow hit his heel, he died