Question

Choose the exact meaning of the idiom/phrase:
Rainy days.
a) small hours of the morning
b) critical time in any situation
c) late hours of the night
d) unlucky times
e) peaceful hours in a noisy city

Answer 1

Hint: The idiom ‘rainy days’ refers to ‘times of need or times of trouble’. This is a very frequently used idiom in the English language. Some synonyms of this phrase are ‘adversity’ or ‘rough patch’.

Complete answer:
An idiom is a collection of words made popular by usage as having a meaning not understood from those of the individual words. They are usually
used metaphorically and are not to be taken in the literal sense. For example, the idiom ‘over the moon’ refers to extreme happiness.
‘Rainy days’ are usually the gloomiest days of the year, and there is not much sun during this time. This refers to a period of gloominess or darkness. So, the meaning is a time of trouble.

Now, we know the meaning and usage of the given phrase. Let’s look at our available options-
a) small hours of the morning - This phrase refers to the very early hours, just after midnight. This is not the meaning of this given idiom. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
b) critical time in any situation - This phrase refers to the most important time in any given situation. However, this is not the meaning of the given idiom. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
c) late hours of the night - This phrase refers to the late hours just before midnight. However, this is not the meaning of the given idiom. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
d) unlucky times - This phrase refers to rough patches or bad times. This is the exact meaning of the given idiom. This is the required answer. So, this is the correct option.
e) peaceful hours in a noisy city - This phrase refers to the late-night/early morning period in a city, where there is usually less traffic and noise in the streets. However, this is not the meaning of the given idiom. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.

Note:
 Understand that rainy days are usually gloomy. This will help you to understand the exact meaning of the phrase. Then, try to look for a similar meaning in the options.