Question

Choose the exact meaning of the underlined phrase.
I saw him make a wry face.
a. Abuse
b. Feel sick
c. Cry with pain
d. Show disappointment by frowning

Answer 1

Hint: Wry is an adjective which means twisted to express disgust or disappointment.

Complete answer:
From the hint given to us, we understand the meaning of wry. Let us analyse the given options in order to find out the exact meaning of the underlined phrase.
- Abuse means to be insulting, disrespectful or to misuse. It is a verb.
For example: One must not abuse their rights under any circumstance.
We observe that it is not the exact meaning of the underlined phrase. Hence, we can say that option ‘a’ is not the correct answer.
- ‘Feel sick’ means to feel unwell or to feel as if one is about to vomit.
For example: She felt sick after consuming the outdated food.
We observe that it is not the exact meaning of the underlined phrase. Hence, we can say that option ‘b’ is not the correct answer.
- ‘Cry with pain’ is an ungrammatical phrase as inappropriate preposition has been used. With is used to indicate an accompaniment or companion. The incorrect preposition must be replaced with ‘in’, to make the phrase meaningful. Hence, we can say that option ‘c’ is not the correct answer.
- ‘Show disappointment by frowning’ means to form a twisted face to express disappointment. Frowning is an adjective which means forming an expression of disgust, disapproval or disappointment.
We observe that it is the exact meaning of the underlined phrase. Hence, we can say that option ‘d’ is the correct answer.

> Thus, we can conclude that the correct answer is option ‘d’ - ‘show disappointment by frowning’.

Note: Correct meanings of the adjective in the phrases need to be understood, to be able to match with the underlined phrase’s adjective.