quiz

plural quizzes

1. datedAn odd, puzzling or absurd person or thing.

   Where did you get that quiz of a hat? It makes you look like an old witch.

   1803, Jane Austen, chapter 7, in Northanger Abbey, published 1816

   3 more examples

   I've always heard he was a quiz, says another, or a quoz, or some such word ; but I did not know he was such a book-worm.

   1796, Fanny Burney, Camilla: or, A picture of youth, by the author of Evelina, page 99

   I tell you I am going to the music shop. I trust to your honour. Lord Rawson, I know, will call me a fool for trusting to the honour of a quiz.

   1833, Maria Edgeworth, Moral Tales, volume 1, page 204

   “I’m afraid you’re a sad quiz,” said Mrs. Bungay. ¶ “Quiz! never made a joke in my—hullo! who’s here? How d’ye do, Pendennis?

   1850, William Makepeace Thackeray, The History of Pendennis

2. datedOne who questions or interrogates; a prying person.
3. A competition in the answering of questions.

   We came second in the pub quiz.

   1 more example

   Once all six friends are clear that the topic of Janet's story is a pub quiz, we launch into talk around this topic, combining factual information about quizzes we have participated in with fantasies about becoming a team ourselves.

   1997, Jennifer Coates, “The construction of a collaborative floor in women’s friendly talk”, in Talmy Givón, editor, Conversation: Cognitive, Communicative and Social Perspectives, page 72

4. educationA school examination of less importance, or of greater brevity, than others given in the same course.

   For many it is hard to envision a scenario where a student completes an online quiz (or test) without using their smartphone, tablet, or other device to look up the answers, or ‘share’ those answers with other students.

   2015 May 18, Matt Farrell, Shannon Maheu, “Why open-book tests deserve a place in your courses”, in Faculty Focus

present singular third person quizzes · participle present quizzing · participle past quizzed · past quizzed

1. archaictransitiveTo hoax; to chaff or mock with pretended seriousness of discourse; to make sport of, as by obscure questions.

   he quizzed unmercifully all the men in the room—

   1850, William Makepeace Thackeray, The History of Pendennis

   1 more example

   'Now, Puddock, back him up—encourage your man,' said Devereux, who took a perverse pleasure in joking; 'tell him to flay the lump, splat him, divide him, and cut him in two pieces—' It was a custom of the corps to quiz Puddock about his cookery […]

   1863, Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Churchyard

2. archaictransitiveTo peer at; to eye suspiciously or mockingly.
3. transitiveTo question (someone) closely, to interrogate.

   He quizzed the suspect for around half an hour.

   2 more examples

   This week members return to the chamber to quiz the government on the Zimbabwe election, teacher shortages, backlog of asylum applications and improving the system for dementia diagnosis.

   2023 August 31, “What's on in the Lords 4-7 September”, in UK Parliament

   Rail Minister Lord Hendy was quizzed by the same MPs at an earlier hearing. He maintained that the Bill gave Mayors "much enhanced power" and preserved the existing processes by which rail services can be devolved. "The intention, more widely, is to work collaboratively with all devolved leaders to meet local needs," he said. "It has to be tempered by the reality, which is that the railway network is not generally consistent with mayoral boundaries. […]".

   2026 March 18, Peter Plisner, “Will devolution deliver real local control?”, in RAIL, number 1057, page 47

4. transitiveTo instruct (someone) by means of a quiz.
5. obsoleteraretransitiveTo play with a quiz.