Question

Choose the most suitable ‘one word’ for the following phrase.
To do away with a rule

a) Cancel
b) Revise
c) Obliterate
d) Abrogate

Answer 1

Hint: The phrase ‘to do away with a rule’ refers to ‘repealing rules’. It is used as a legal phrase.

Complete answer:

We need to condense the meaning of the given phrase into one word. So, all we have to do is find the synonym of the given phrase.

The phrase ‘to do away with a rule’ is used mostly in the legal sense. It refers to getting rid of a law, a rule, a right, or a formal agreement.
For example, ‘Article 377 was done away with in India’, contains the phrase ‘to do away with a rule’, but, in this case, it is a law.

Now, we know the meaning and usage of the given phrase. Let’s look at the given options:

a) cancel - The word ‘cancel’ refers to ‘decide or announce that (a planned event) will not take place'. This word has a completely different meaning to the given phrase. It is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
b) revise - The word ‘revise’ refers to ‘examine and make corrections or alterations to (written or printed matter)’. This word also has a completely unrelated meaning to the given phrase. It is not the required answer. So, this is also an incorrect option.
c) obliterate - The word ‘obliterate’ refers to ‘destroy utterly; wipe out'. This word has a very different meaning to the given phrase. It is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect answer.
d) abrogate - The word ‘abrogate’ refers to ‘repeal or do away with (a law, right, or formal agreement)’. This word has the exact same meaning as the given phrase. This is the required answer. So, this is the correct answer.

Note: Try to eliminate options that are irrelevant to the given phrase, and then, choose the word that remains, it will have the exact same meaning as the given phrase.