Basic Details
Word: Porcupine
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A large rodent covered in sharp quills, found in forests and wooded areas.
Synonyms: Quill pig
Antonyms: N/A
Idioms and Phrases
- Like a porcupine in a balloon factory: Used to describe someone who is very out of place or clumsy. Example: "He was like a porcupine in a balloon factory during the elegant party, knocking things over."
- Porcupine defence: Refers to being defensive and prickly in behaviour. Example: "After the bad experience, she developed a porcupine defence, pushing people away instead of letting them in."
Usage Examples
Example 1: The porcupine slowly climbed the tree, its sharp quills glinting in the sunlight.
Example 2: When threatened, a porcupine can raise its quills to deter predators from coming closer.
Example 3: We saw a porcupine in the forest, and we knew to keep our distance to avoid getting hurt by its quills.
Fun Fact
Did you know that porcupines are not able to shoot their quills? Instead, they rely on the quills easily detaching when a predator tries to attack them!
Famous Quote
"A porcupine at the party can bring a prickly perspective." - Unknown
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "porcupine" mean?
a) A type of fish
b) A large covered rodent
c) A small bird
d) An insect
Answer: b) A large covered rodent
2. Which of these is a synonym of "porcupine"?
a) Mouse
b) Quill pig
c) Squirrel
d) Rat
Answer: b) Quill pig
3. Which sentence uses "porcupine" correctly?
a) The porcupine danced at the celebration.
b) I saw a porcupine crossing the road.
c) The porcupine flew high in the sky.
d) The porcupine jumped over the fence.
Answer: b) I saw a porcupine crossing the road.
4. Which idiom means someone who is very out of place?
a) Porcupine defence
b) Like a porcupine in a balloon factory
c) A horse of a different colour
d) As busy as a bee
Answer: b) Like a porcupine in a balloon factory
5. What is the opposite of "porcupine"?
a) N/A
b) Dog
c) Cat
d) Fish
Answer: a) N/A
