Question

Choose the exact meaning of the idiom/phrase.
“A fool’s paradise”
A. A paradise of idiots
B. A state of happiness based on false hope.
C. To live in the past.
D. To have happy dreams

Answer 1

Hint: Idioms are an expression in the use of a language which is unique to itself, because it has a meaning which cannot be derived from the standard meanings of its elements.

Complete step by step answer:
“A fool’s paradise” refers to someone who becomes satisfied with the given expectations and based on false facts. It's a feeling of happiness that's not considered true as it will be short lived before the reality comes out. Let us look at an example here.
“You must be in a fool’s paradise if you think that it will rain at the time of such hot summers.”
Let us go through the meaning of the idioms given as option to find the option which best expresses the meaning of the idiom “A fool’s paradise”
A. A paradise of idiots: This phrase does not make any sense because if we go by the literal meaning it would roughly translate to some place where fools or idiots reside, which has no relation to the given idiom in the question. So, this is not the correct answer.
B. A state of happiness based on false hope: This phrase has the same meaning as the idiom given, which is living in a false hope of happiness which will never come or will be short lived until the truth is revealed. So, this is the correct answer.
C. To live in the past: It refers to someone who is not living his life based on what is happening in the present. He or she thinks that the present is the same as the past. So, this is not the correct answer.
D. To have happy dreams: It refers to someone who is happy with their place in life. Emotional dreams are generally a reflection of something going on in people’s life. So, this is also the incorrect answer as this does not have the required meaning.

So, the correct answer is “Option B”.

Note:
An idiom's symbolic sense is quite different from the literal meaning or definition of the words in which it is made. They help bring a beautiful illustration to speech every day.