Test Your Number Idioms: One to Ten

Proto-Cuneiform tablet: administrative account of barley distribution with cylinder seal impression of a male figure, hunting dogs, and boars. Probably from the city of Uruk.

The earliest writing systems were created to record numbers and data, not poetry or literature. How much wheat do we have? How much in taxes does everyone owe? Thus people have been focused on numbers since the beginning of writing.

It makes sense, then, that numerous idioms have numbers in them. What is the difference between at sixes and sevens and behind the eight ball? When do people use four-letter words? Here are a few samples of common number idioms. Test yourself.

Sample Number Idioms

How many of these idioms do you know?

1. (all) in one piece
2. put two and two together
3. three-ring circus
4. four-letter word
5. take the Fifth
6. six of one, half a dozen of the other
7. at sixes and sevens
8. behind the eight ball
9. dressed to the nines
10. ten to one

Test yourself!

1. If you're on vacation and you arrive at your destination in one piece, ___.

A. you still have money left
B. your group stayed together
C. you arrived safely
D. you dislike bikinis

See idiom.

2. Terry went to an event at her school yesterday. Her mother asked how it was, and Terry said, "It was a three-ring circus!" The event ___.

A. was very entertaining

B. was eaten by lions

C. had many people attend

D. was poorly organized

See idiom.

3. Our school's teachers weren't used to teaching online, so they were ___ for the first few weeks. 

A. at sixes and sevens
B. behind the eight ball
C. on cloud nine
D. ten to one

See idiom.

4. Victor asked his colleague Nora if she ate the cupcake he had left in the office refrigerator. Nora said she ___.

A. was at sixes and sevens
B. had to take the Fifth
C. was behind the eight ball
D. had ten to one

See idiom.

5. Terry gets in trouble at work quite often, but she never gets fired. She definitely ___.

A. has nine lives

B. is at sixes and sevens

C. lasts ten to one

D. is on Cloud Nine

See idiom.

6. Ben was due for a raise at work, but felt that because of his sales record, he was behind the eight ball. Ben ___.

A. had sold the most

B. was sure he'd get a raise

C. had very poor sales

D. was a pool shark

See idiom.

7. Little Jimmy broke the rules. He snuck into the kitchen late at night for ice cream. But he left out the bowl and spoon, so his mother quickly ___.

A. was at sixes and sevens
B. put two and two together
C. got behind the eight ball
D. five and dimed him

See idiom.

8. The waitress asked Phil, "Would you like asparagus or cauliflower with your dinner?" Phil raised an open hand and said, "To me, six of one and half a dozen of the other." Phil is ___.

A. very, very hungry
B. not interested in vegetables
C. really bad at math
D. having a hard time choosing

See idiom.

9. Choose the best answer

Sarah: Do you notice that Frank uses a lot of four-letter words.

Carl: I know. I guess he ___.

A. doesn't know many big words

B. wants to sound educated

C. gets angry a lot

D. is poor at math

See idiom.

10. Carla: "Ten to one next year will be better than this year." Carla ___.

A. is making a magical wish
B. hopes next year will be better
C. is gambling
D. celebrating New Year's Eve

See idiom.

Answers

1. C   2. D   3. A   4. B   5. A   6. C   7. B   8. B   9. C   D. B

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