Question

Choose the correct meaning of the given phrase.
 “A blind alley”
 (a)Lane closed at one end
(b)A blind boy
(c)A blind puppy
(d)Absent-minded
(e)Ignorant man

Answer 1

Hint: Read the given phrase and try to decipher its meaning. now go through the options and recall what they mean. Choose the one that expresses the meaning of the given phrase in the best way possible.

Complete answer: An idiom is a phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase; but some phrases become figurative idioms while retaining the literal meaning of the phrase. In the given question, the phrase ‘a blind alley’ refers to a street with only one way in or out’.
Let us thus analyze the options given to us in this question:
Option (a), 'Lane closed at one end', refers to a narrow way or road that has only one way to go in and out.
Therefore, option (a.) is correct as it is similar to what the definition of a blind alley’ says.

Option (b), ‘A blind boy', refers to a boy with visual impairments’.
Therefore, option (b.) is incorrect as it is not similar to the meaning of a blind alley’.

Option (c), ‘A blind puppy’, refers to a puppy with visual impairments’.
Therefore, option (c.) is incorrect as it is not synonymous to that of a blind alley’s definition.

Option (d), ‘Absent-minded’, refers to ‘Absent in mind; abstracted; preoccupied; forgetful or careless due to distraction; easily distracted.’
Therefore, option (d.) is incorrect as it is not similar to what a blind alley’ means.

Option (e), ‘Ignorant man’, refers to a male who is unaware because of a lack of relevant information or knowledge’.
Therefore, option (e.) is incorrect as it is not similar to what a blind alley’ means.

Note: In this type of question, the student must always recall that phrases should not be taken literally, as they seldom mean what the words in the phrase collectively portray to mean.