15107943216 | Achilles' Heel | Achilles is immortal everywhere but his heel. An "Achilles Heel" is a weakness. | 0 | |
15107943217 | Pound of Flesh | Antonio made a contract with Shylock that if he lost his ships he owed Shylock a pound of flesh. Merchant of Venice from Shakespeare. Used to describe someone's insistence on being repaid, regardless of harm on the debtor. | 1 | |
15107943218 | Sacred Cow | Hinduism considers cows to be sacred. Something that cannot be interfered with or harmed in any way. | 2 | |
15107943219 | Crossing the Rubicon | Julias Caesar chose to break rules by taking his army across the Rubicon river. This means to take an irreversible action. A point of no return. | 3 | |
15107943220 | Pearls Before Swine | Jesus told his followers to deliver their message to those who appreciate value. It is to offer something valuable to someone unable to see/respect value. | 4 | |
15107943221 | Once in a Blue Moon | Blue moons happen every three years. This phrase describes something that occurs very rarely. | 5 | |
15107943222 | Mrs. Grundy | A play called "Speed the Plough" depicts a character named Mrs. Grundy. It is an attitude of narrow-minded prudishness. | 6 | |
15107943223 | Crocodile Tears | Crocodiles were believed to release "tears" when opening its jaws wide. To show false sympathy for someone. | 7 | |
15107943224 | Sirens | Sea creatures who lured sailors to their death. Sirens represent illusions, false hope, and/or distractions. | 8 | |
15107943225 | Read the Riot Act | Under English common law the police had to read it before dispersing the crowd. To give a stern warning. | 9 | |
15107943226 | Thiry Pieces of Silver/Betrayed by a Kiss | Judas was paid to find Jesus. He notified the authorities with this action. Payment received for a treacherous act/betraying a friend. | 10 | |
15107943227 | Gordian Knot | Gordius made it. Alexander cut it in half. To solve a problem in a quick, decisive manner. | 11 | |
15107943228 | Ivory Tower | A beautiful, unreachable place used by the French poet Alfred Deviguy. A person secluded or protected from the real world and thus out of touch with reality. | 12 | |
15107943229 | All That Glitters is not Gold | Just because something looks like gold, one should not assume. What appears valuable may not be valuable. | 13 | |
15107943230 | Sound and Fury | Macbeth loses everything after becoming powerful. A passionate uproar that is actually meaningless. | 14 | |
15107943231 | Fly too Close to the Sun | Icarus and his father Daedalus escaped crete but Icarus died because of it. To fail or be destroyed because of a lack of caution or excessive ambition. | 15 | |
15148129876 | Deus Ex Machina | Surprising turn of events that suddenly makes things turn out all right. | 16 | |
15172951684 | Tabula Rasa | John Locke used the term for newborns who had not yet developed a personality. Means unmarked/uninfluenced. A blank slate. | 17 | |
15202639954 | Tantalus | In Greek mythology the king offended the gods. He was condemned to suffer eternal hunger and thirst. Means to be offered something desireable which is then withheld. | 18 | |
15224216018 | NIMBY | Acronym for "Not in my back yard". Means people may be aware of problems but don't want them near where they live (Prisons, homeless, etc.). | 19 | |
15244881585 | Waterloo | 1815 battle, this was the final battle of Napoleon. To suffer an ultimate, decisive defeat. | 20 | |
15279382485 | The Emperor's New Clothes | Hans Christian Adersen's story an emperor wears no clothes, thinking they are invisible. To be silent out of fear of being stupid. Also, kids being innocent and honest. | 21 | |
15279382486 | Left-handed Compliment | The left-hand is considered the abnormal, it's the sinister side. Despite being a compliment, is insulting or rude in some way. | 22 | |
15384376435 | Sword of Damocles | A king had a sword above his dining table held by a single thread to show what being a king is like. Awareness of an impending or imminent danger. | 23 | |
15384376436 | Svengali | Singing master teaches girl to sing. When he dies she cannot sing anymore. Someone who exerts excessive control over another. | 24 | |
15435514485 | Non Sequitur | "It does not follow". A statement that is unrelated to what has been said before. | 25 | |
15456760725 | White Elephant | Considered special because they are rare but are actually pointless and expensive. Has no use to its owner and may even represent a financial burden or inconvenience. | 26 | |
15474326197 | Fiddle While Rome Burns | During the reign of an emperor named Nero, he showed complete disregard for the hardship suffered by the people he governed. To display indifference in the midst of an emergency or disaster. | 27 |
Allusions AP Literature and Composition Flashcards
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