Select the most appropriate synonym for the underlined word:-
By a quirk of fate, they had both booked into the same hotel.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Peculiarity
A quirk is a strange or unexpected happening, or an odd habit. "By a quirk of fate" means by a strange chance: it was an odd coincidence that both had booked into the same hotel. Its synonym is peculiarity.
Example: By a quirk of fate, the two brothers were posted to the same town.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Flaw | a fault or defect that spoils something (a quirk is odd, not faulty, and the meeting in the hotel was not a defect) | There is a flaw in this diamond. |
| (2) Peculiarity (answer) | something strange or unusual (a strange twist of fate is a peculiarity of fate) | One peculiarity of this town is that the shops close at noon. |
| (3) Tradition | a custom passed down over many years (it is regular and expected, while a quirk is unexpected) | Lighting lamps on Diwali is an old tradition. |
| (4) Signal | a sign or action that gives a message (it does not mean a strange chance) | The guard waved a green flag as a signal to the driver. |