Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom.

Move the goalposts

Unfairly alter the conditions or rules of a procedure during its course

The most appropriate meaning of the idiom "move the goalposts" is unfairly alter the conditions or rules of a procedure during its course.

The idiom "move the goalposts" is used to describe someone who changes the rules or requirements of a situation in order to make it more difficult for someone else to succeed. For example, you might say "My boss keeps moving the goalposts on me. I can never seem to meet his expectations."

The other options are not as appropriate meanings for the idiom "move the goalposts":

• To do your research and understand clearly what your goals are: This is not a common meaning for the idiom "move the goalposts."
• To put a lot of effort into something: This is not a common meaning for the idiom "move the goalposts."
• To move the goalpost after an attempt has been made to score a goal: This is a literal meaning of the idiom "move the goalposts," but it is not the most common meaning.