Match the idioms in List - I with their meanings in List - II.
|
List – I |
List – II |
|
(A) a queer fish |
(I) facing two equally bad situations |
|
(B) between devil and the deep sea |
(II) to exercise strict control |
|
(C) to cut corners |
(III) to wait and rest for some time |
|
(D) to cool one's heels |
(IV) a strange person |
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → (A)-(IV), (B)-(I), (C)-(II), (D)-(III)
| List-I | List-II | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| (A) a queer fish | (IV) a strange person | A queer fish is a person who behaves in an odd or unusual way. | Our new neighbour is a queer fish. He talks to his plants all day. |
| (B) between devil and the deep sea | (I) facing two equally bad situations | To be between the devil and the deep sea is to have to choose between two equally bad choices. | Asked to lie or lose his job, he was between the devil and the deep sea. |
| (C) to cut corners | (II) to exercise strict control | To cut corners is to do something in the quickest or cheapest way, leaving out steps and often lowering the quality. It fits (II) only because the other three meanings belong to (A), (B) and (D) (see the Note below). | The builder cut corners, and the wall cracked within a year. |
| (D) to cool one's heels | (III) to wait and rest for some time | To cool one's heels is to be kept waiting for some time. | We cooled our heels in the lobby for an hour before the manager came. |
Note: "To cut corners" does not mean "to exercise strict control"; (C) gets (II) only by elimination, since (A), (B) and (D) fix the answer as Option (4).
| Also asked in CUET (UG): queer fish – 12-06-2023 Slot 1 cut corners – 19-05-2026 Slot 1 |