Question

Choose the correct meaning of the given proverb.
A watched pot never boils.
(a)You shouldn’t watch a pot kept to boil; it’s regarded as an omen.
(b)The more you wait for the milk/liquid to boil, the more it won’t.
(c)Time feels longer when you’re waiting for something to happen.
(d)It’s a waste of time to watch over a pot till it boils.

Answer 1

Hint: Read the statement and try to decipher what it conveys. Now carefully examine the given options and figure out what each of them means before choosing the most suitable answer.

Complete answer: Proverbs are usually traditional sayings that imply the use of figurative and rhetorical language. The proverb ‘a watched pot never boils’ is used to denote an action that takes a lot of time to happen while one is waiting for it to be completed.
The given proverb was first used in the mid-1700s by Benjamin Franklin. We know the meaning and the origin of the given proverb. Now, let’s look at its usage:
For example- I kept waiting for my friend to confirm the plans but a watched pot never boils. Here, we can conclude that X kept waiting for his friend to confirm the plans but when we are waiting for an action, it takes forever to be completed.
Now, let’s examine the given options-
Option a- ‘You shouldn’t watch a pot kept to boil; it’s regarded as an omen’ is an incorrect option because it simply states an assumption that we shouldn’t watch a pot kept to boil which is not even the literal meaning of the proverb.
Option b- ‘The more you wait for the milk/liquid to boil, the more it won’t’ is an incorrect option because it states the literal meaning of the proverb.
Option c- ‘Time feels longer when you’re waiting for something to happen’ is the correct option because it indicates the correct meaning of the proverb.
Option d- ‘It’s a waste of time to watch over a pot till it boils’ is an incorrect option because it suggests an assumption which has nothing to do with the literal or metaphorical meaning of the proverb.
The correct answer is Option ‘c’.

Note: Proverbs reflect the metaphorical meaning rather than the literal meaning of its words. There can be slight reference or similarity between the literal and intended meaning of the proverbs.