Target Exam

CUET

Subject

English

Chapter

Grammar: Idioms

Question:

Select the most appropriate meaning of the given Idiom:-

To Beat a dead horse "

Options:

Beating a horse till its death

Wasting energy on a situation that can’t be changed

Resembling with parents

Stop talking unnecessarily 

Correct Answer:

Wasting energy on a situation that can’t be changed

Explanation:

The most appropriate meaning of the idiom "to beat a dead horse" is wasting energy on a situation that can’t be changed. The idiom comes from the idea of someone beating a horse that is already dead, which is a pointless and futile act. In a figurative sense, to say that someone is "beating a dead horse" means that they are wasting their time and energy on something that is not going to change.

The other options are not as accurate descriptions of the meaning of the idiom. Beating a horse till its death is not the same as wasting energy on a situation that can’t be changed. Resembling with parents is not typically associated with the idiom "to beat a dead horse." Stop talking unnecessarily is not typically associated with the idiom "to beat a dead horse."