Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the underlined phrasal verb in the given sentence:
When Papa mentioned for the third time at dinner that our neighbour’s son had cleared JEE on his first attempt, I knew exactly what he was driving at.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → implying
A phrasal verb is a verb joined with a small word such as up, out or together. The two words together have a new meaning.
Drive at means to try to say something without saying it directly. Its closest meaning is implying. Example: Just tell me plainly what you are driving at.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) implying (answer) | to suggest something without saying it openly (same as drive at) | Her quiet smile implied that she already knew the result. |
| (2) recalling | remembering something from the past | Dadi often recalls her first train journey to Shimla. |
| (3) admitting | agreeing, often unwillingly, that something is true | Rohit finally admitted that he had broken the window. |
| (4) concealing | hiding something or keeping it secret | Meena was concealing a birthday gift for Maa behind her back. |