Idiom Explanation: "Blow your own trumpet"

The phrase "blow your own trumpet" is an idiom, which means its figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning of the words.

Meaning of the Idiom

To "blow your own trumpet" means to boast about or praise your own abilities, achievements, or successes, often in an excessive or immodest way.

Analyzing the Options

Let's look at the given options to see which one best matches the meaning of this idiom:

• Option 1: Be very loud in company - This option focuses on being loud, which isn't the core meaning of the idiom. While boasting can sometimes be loud, the idiom specifically refers to self-praise.
• Option 2: All sound and fury, signifying nothing - This phrase, originating from Shakespeare, describes something that makes a lot of noise but has no real substance or importance. It does not relate to self-praise.
• Option 3: Excessively boastful of one's own achievements - This option accurately captures the essence of the idiom. It directly describes the act of praising oneself too much.
• Option 4: Be scathing in one's criticism of others - This is the opposite of the idiom's meaning. Criticizing others harshly is not related to praising oneself.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis, the idiom "blow your own trumpet" clearly means to be excessively boastful about one's own achievements. Therefore, option 3 is the correct interpretation.