Complete the sentence by using the suitable idiom/phrase from the following options:
Harry boasted about scoring the highest marks in his class but when he saw the results, he had to _____.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → eat the humble pie
Harry boasted that he had scored the highest marks, but the results proved him wrong, so he had to eat humble pie.
Complete sentence: Harry boasted about scoring the highest marks in his class but when he saw the results, he had to eat the humble pie.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) cut the mustard | to be good enough to meet a standard. It does not describe a boaster proved wrong. | The new goalkeeper did not cut the mustard and was dropped. |
| (2) eat the humble pie (answer) | to admit that one was wrong and accept the embarrassment, usually after boasting | The minister who mocked the plan had to eat humble pie when it succeeded. |
| (3) full of beans | lively and full of energy. It describes a mood, and "had to full of beans" is not even grammatical. | After a good night's sleep, the children were full of beans. |
| (4) finger in every pie | to be involved in many different activities. It has nothing to do with admitting a mistake. | The headmaster has a finger in every pie, from the canteen to the sports day. |
| Also asked in CUET (UG): eat humble pie – 26-05-2026 Slot 1, 25-05-2026 Slot 1, 12-05-2026 Slot 2, 12-06-2023 Slot 2 cut the mustard – 13-06-2023 Slot 1 |