Choose the most appropriate option to fill in the blank:
The domestic help gradually _____from the pantry and hence his actions went unnoticed for a long time.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → pilfered
Complete sentence: The domestic help gradually pilfered from the pantry and hence his actions went unnoticed for a long time. "Gradually" and "went unnoticed for a long time" show small, secret thefts from the pantry.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) picked up | to lift or collect something (it does not carry the idea of secret stealing, and "picked up from the pantry" without an object makes no sense) | She picked up the book from the floor. |
| (2) subtended | a term of geometry: a line or arc subtends an angle when it lies opposite it | The chord subtends an angle of 60 degrees at the centre. |
| (3) pilfered (answer) | to steal small things or small amounts, usually secretly and again and again | The clerk pilfered stationery from the office for months. |
| (4) spent | to use money, time or energy ("spent from the pantry" makes no sense, and spending is not an act that needs to go unnoticed) | He spent all his savings on a new bike. |