Question

Choose the correct meaning of the given phrase-
“Augean Stables”

a. Place for horses
b. Correction of a great abuse
c. Rampant corruption
d. Demolition of buildings
e. Big hurdles

Answer 1

Hint: The above-given phrase is an idiom that refers to a group of words or a phrase that is different in meaning to the literal meaning of its words. ‘Augean stables’ refers to a thing or a place that is extremely dirty or corrupted.

Complete answer:
The idiom ‘Augean stables’ has been derived from the well-known phrase ‘Clean the Augean stables’.
Now, let’s look at the origin of the given idiom-
The Greek King, ‘Augeas’ owned a large number of stables for 3,000 huge oxen that had not been cleaned for almost thirty years. Eventually, the Great Hercules was assigned the task of ‘cleaning the Augean stables’. He was able to do so by making two rivers flow through the stables.
Let’s look at its usage-
Example- The entire government office had become Augean stables. Here, we can conclude that the entire government office had become corrupted or dirty.
Let’s decipher the meaning of the given options-
Option a- ‘Place for horses’ indicates the place where horses are kept. Horses are kept in ‘stables’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option b- ‘Correction of a great abuse’ indicates a different meaning to the given idiom. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option c- ‘Rampant corruption’ refers to uncontrollable or widespread corruption. It is similar in meaning to the given idiom. Hence, it is the correct option.
Option d- ‘Demolition of buildings’ indicates a different meaning to the given idiom. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option e- ‘Big hurdles’ refers to large-scale problems or difficulties. It is different in meaning to the given idiom. Hence, it is an incorrect option.

The correct answer is Option ‘c’.

Note: It is advisable to understand the meaning of the given idiom, before choosing the correct option. Thereafter, you can choose the option that is closest in meaning to it.