He turned a deaf ear to my request. What does the underlined phrasal verb mean?
Phrasal Verb 'Turned a Deaf Ear' Meaning
The phrasal verb "turned a deaf ear" means to deliberately ignore something or refuse to listen to it, even when aware of it.
In the sentence "He turned a deaf ear to my request," the subject chose not to pay attention to the request made.
Choosing the Correct Option
We need to find the option that matches this meaning:
- ignored: This aligns perfectly with the definition of refusing to listen.
- appreciated: Means to value or recognize the worth of something.
- twisted: Means to distort or contort something.
- returned: Means to give back or come back.
Based on the definition, the correct meaning of the phrasal verb "turned a deaf ear" is "ignored".
Important Questions from Idioms & Phrases
- Which of the following is/are (an) example(s) that exhibit(s) ‘Metaphorical Extension’ (a mechanism by which the meaning of existing words can change)?
- Consider the idiom 'Time flies like an arrow'. Which idiom below is closest in meaning to this one?
- The movie was funny and I ________.
- Fill in the blank with the correct idiom/phrase.
That boy from the town was a __________ in the sleepy village. In the given text, the blanks are numbered (i)-(iv). Select the best match for all the blanks.
Steve was advised to keep his head _________ (i) before heading _________ (ii) to bat; for, while he had a head _________ (iii) batting, he could only do so with a cool head _________ (iv) his shoulders.
