Question

Choose the correct meaning of the given proverb.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

a. Don’t betray the person who has helped you
b. Don’t be so hungry that you bite the hand of the person who’s feeding you.
c. Don’t get greedy and feed on the hand instead.
d. Wait and eat the food first, then feed on the hand

Answer 1

Hint: Proverbs are the sentences or phrases that consist of a general truth or act as advice according to the prevalent societal norms of ethics.

Complete answer:
The proverb, ‘don’t bite the hand that feeds you’ means that an individual should never cheat or harm a person who has always been his well-wisher or who has helped in the sustenance of life.

Analyzing the given options, we can derive the correct answer.

> According to option ‘A’, the proverb means that one should not betray the person who has helped him/her. This meaning is similar to the meaning discussed above. Therefore, option A can be possibly correct.

> Option B presents the literal meaning of the proverb. But the actual meaning of the proverbs is not always exactly to their literal meaning. Therefore, this option is incorrect.

> The meaning given in option C is not presenting any ethical piece of advice. Also, it involves the literal meaning of the proverb as well. Therefore, this option also cannot be considered correct.

> Wait and eat the food first, then feed on the hand is not similar to the actual meaning of the proverb as discussed above. This meaning is neither rational nor ethical. Therefore, option D is also incorrect.

Thus, option A is the correct answer.

Note: The proverbs also have a meaning different from the literal meaning of the words used in them that can be metaphorical as well.