Choose the option that best carries the meaning of the underlined idiom.
He decided to throw in the towel after several failed attempts.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → to give up after trying
Throw in the towel means to admit defeat and give up after trying for some time. The idiom comes from boxing, where a fighter's trainer throws a towel into the ring to show that the fighter is giving up the bout. After several failed attempts, he decided to stop trying.
Example: The company threw in the towel after three years of heavy losses.
The following words have also been asked in other CUET (UG) English papers:
| Word | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| throw in the towel | 15-05 S1 | – | – | 05-06 S2 | – |