OOPT Phrasal Verbs and Idioms 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What does 'to bite the bullet' mean?

To eat quickly
To endure a painful situation with courage (Correct answer)
To speak harshly to someone
To make a mistake

Correct answer: To endure a painful situation with courage

'Bite the bullet' means to endure a painful or difficult situation stoically.

'Bite the bullet' means to force oneself to endure an unpleasant situation or to make a difficult decision with courage. E.g., 'I didn't want the surgery, but I bit the bullet and booked the appointment.' The idiom originates from the pre-anaesthetic practice of having patients bite on a bullet to cope with pain.

Question 2: Choose the correct meaning of 'to put off'.

To decorate
To postpone (Correct answer)
To remove clothing
To persuade

Correct answer: To postpone

'To put off' means to postpone or delay something.

'Put off' has multiple meanings: (1) to postpone: 'She put off the meeting until Friday'; (2) to discourage/deter: 'The long queue put me off going in'; (3) to distract: 'Stop putting me off!' The most common meaning is to postpone/delay. 'Put on' means to wear or add; 'take off' means to remove.

Question 3: What is the meaning of 'to be under the weather'?

To be outside in bad weather
To feel slightly unwell (Correct answer)
To feel depressed about the climate
To be extremely tired

Correct answer: To feel slightly unwell

'Under the weather' is an idiom meaning to feel slightly ill or unwell.

'Under the weather' means feeling slightly ill, tired, or not at one's best: 'I can't come to work today — I'm feeling a bit under the weather.' It implies mild illness rather than serious sickness. The origin may relate to sailors feeling unwell going below deck in rough weather.

Question 4: Which phrasal verb means 'to investigate or examine'?

look after
look into (Correct answer)
look up to
look out for

Correct answer: look into

'Look into' means to investigate or examine something more closely.

'Look into' = to investigate or examine: 'We will look into the complaint.' Compare: 'look after' (take care of), 'look up to' (admire/respect), 'look out for' (watch for/protect from danger), 'look forward to' (anticipate with pleasure). Phrasal verb meaning often cannot be guessed from the parts alone.

Question 5: What does 'to break the ice' mean?

To cause a conflict
To begin a relationship or conversation in a relaxed way (Correct answer)
To feel very cold
To destroy something carefully

Correct answer: To begin a relationship or conversation in a relaxed way

'Break the ice' means to do or say something to relieve tension and start a conversation or new relationship.

'Break the ice' means to do something that reduces awkwardness or tension at the start of a social situation: 'He told a joke to break the ice at the party.' It can also refer to the first steps in any new or awkward situation. The metaphor relates to ships breaking through ice to open a path.

Question 6: Choose the correct sentence: 'After years of hard work, her talent finally ___.'

paid off (Correct answer)
paid up
paid out
paid in

Correct answer: paid off

'Paid off' means to produce a successful result after effort — the hard work was rewarded.

'Pay off' = to be successful after effort or risk: 'Years of practice finally paid off when she won the competition.' Compare: 'pay up' (pay what is owed, often reluctantly), 'pay out' (distribute money), 'pay in' (deposit money). 'Paid off' is the idiom for effort leading to reward.

OOPT Phrasal Verbs and Idioms 2

What does 'to bite the bullet' mean?