quiz

A test in which one's urine is analyzed for the presence of illicit drugs. The company makes everyone take a piss quiz at the end of the week. You're going to have to pass these piss quizzes if you want to stay out of prison on parole.

A short test given to students without them knowing ahead of time. A: "Do you think we'll have a pop quiz today?" B: "I sure hope not—I haven't studied the material at all!" OK, students, pop quiz time! Everyone put your books and notes away, let's see how much you've learned!

To test one's knowledge about something. Would you mind quizzing me on corporate tax law? I have an exam tomorrow. The teacher stood me up in front of the whole class and quizzed me on the periodic table of elements.

A person, usually a child or young adult, who is exceptionally knowledgeable or intelligent, especially in trivia. He actually earned quite a lot of money as a quiz kid on various trivia gameshows when he was younger. We should invite Sarah to the pub quiz—she's something of a quiz kid when it comes to sports.

To become eligible to skip some required or prerequisite academic course by achieving a certain score on a placement test. I quizzed out of a number of entry-level courses for my degree, so I was able to finish college a year early. I really don't want to take first-year Spanish again when I start college. I'm hoping I can just quiz out.

To become eligible to skip some required or prerequisite academic course, usually by achieving a certain score on a quiz or test. I quizzed out of a number of entry-level courses for my degree, so I was able to finish college a year early.

to earn permission to waive a college course by successful completion of a quiz or exam. Andrew was able to quiz out of calculus. After studying very hard, he quizzed out.

to ask someone many questions about someone or something. The general quizzed the soldier about the incident. The officer quizzed her about Randy.

to give someone a quiz or test over the subject of someone or something. The teacher quizzed the students on the chapter she had assigned for homework. I hope they quiz me on George Washington. I am prepared.

A very smart youngster. A popular radio show during the 1940s and '50s and later a television series, Quiz Kids featured a panel of five youngsters, none over the age of sixteen, with extraordinarily high IQs. They answered difficult questions on a wide range of topics that were submitted by listeners. Among the panelists who went on to bigger and better things was James Watson, the Nobel scientist who codiscovered DNA. People used the phrase as both a compliment (“My son is so smart, he could be a Quiz Kid”) and sarcasm (“You flunked another test?—nice going, Quiz Kid!”).