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

To restart his cash-strapped company he decided to apply for a bank loan.

impoverished

The most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom "cash-strapped" in the given sentence is impoverished.

The other options are incorrect.

• "Improving" means getting better or making progress. A cash-strapped company is not improving, it is struggling financially.
• "Expensive" means costing a lot of money. A cash-strapped company does not have a lot of money, so it is not expensive.
• "Expanding" means getting bigger or growing. A cash-strapped company is not expanding, it is trying to survive.