Question

Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase in the question.
To have one’s heart in one’s boots.

a) To get angry
b) To be deeply depressed
c) To be frightened
d) To keep a secret

Answer 1

Hint: The given idiom refers to ‘being extremely sad’ after an incident has occurred.

Complete answer:

An idiom is a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words. Idioms rarely have literal meanings, they are mostly metaphorical.
They usually conceal meanings and try to add mild situations in the idioms used. It makes the use of the more subtle, and they seem less direct and harsh.
For example, the idiom ‘over the moon’ refers to ‘extreme happiness/joy’ and the idiom ‘wrap your head around something’ means ‘to understand something’.

Now, we know the meaning of the given idiom. Let’s look at the given options:

a) to get angry - This phrase refers to ‘to become enraged’. It is not used in the same context as the above idiom. This is not the meaning of the given phrase. It is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
b) to be deeply depressed - This phrase refers to ‘being very sad’. This is the exact meaning of the idiom given above. It is the required answer. So, this is the correct option.
c) to be frightened - This phrase refers to ‘feeling scared’. This is not the meaning of the given idiom. It is not the required answer. So, this is not the correct answer.
d) to keep a secret - This phrase refers to ‘holding some information (mostly personal) back’. This is not the meaning of the given idiom. So, this is an incorrect answer.

Note: Try to understand the situation in the given idiom, and when one would encounter such a situation. Then, choose the option that best conveys that meaning.