Select the most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom in the given sentence.

Anu jumped the gun and announced their plans at the dinner table.

acted hastily

The most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom in the given sentence is 3. acted hastily.

The idiom "jumped the gun" means to act too quickly or prematurely, without considering all the possible consequences. In the sentence, Anu announced their plans at the dinner table without first discussing them with everyone involved. This could have caused problems if someone else had already made plans for that time.

Here are some other examples of how the idiom "jumped the gun" can be used in a sentence:

• The police officer jumped the gun and shot the suspect, even though he was not posing a threat.
• The company jumped the gun and announced their new product launch before they had all the details finalized.
• The student jumped the gun and answered the question before the teacher was finished asking it.

The other options are incorrect.

• To shout loudly means to speak in a loud and forceful voice.
• To start shooting means to fire a gun or other weapon.
• To eat quickly means to consume food in a hurry.