Question

Choose the exact meaning of the underlined phrase.
Believe me, I am all at sea.

a)Out of reach
b)Very happy
c)Puzzled
d)Drowning

Answer 1

Hint: An idiom is a phrase formed by a group of words that do not mean the way they are written and have a metaphorical meaning.

Complete answer:

Let us understand the context in which the given idiom is used through a sentence.
For example, I worked hard to understand philosophy but it turns out that even today I am all at sea.
Let us now analyze the given options to find the correct meaning of the idiom.
a)Out of reach means to be beyond one’s reach.
For example, Her phone is out of reach.
We observe that it is not similar to the contextual meaning of the idiom. Hence, we can say that option ‘a’ is not the correct answer.
b)Very happy means to be exhilarated or extremely joyful.
For example, She must be very happy today because she has won an award.
We observe that it is not similar to the contextual meaning of the idiom. Hence, we can say that option ‘b’ is not the correct answer.
c)Puzzled means confused or perplexed.
For example, She was puzzled by his tricky answers to her simple questions.
We observe that it is similar to the contextual meaning of the idiom. Hence, we can say that option ‘c’ is the correct answer.
d)Drowning means getting submerged in water.
For example, The passerby saw the kid drowning and rushed to their rescue.
We observe that it is not similar to the contextual meaning of the idiom. Hence, we can say that option ‘d’ is not the correct answer.
Thus, the correct answer is option ‘c’ - “puzzled”.

Note: One must be familiar with the idioms and phrases in order to identify their meanings correctly. Idioms and phrases have figurative meanings. Idioms are unique by definition. They do not follow any set of rules. Hence, an idiom is used in a sentence depending upon how it sounds right.