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Question

Identify the sentence that provides the meaning of the given idiom.

Under the cloud

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2023 (Tier-II) Paper 1 Previous Year Paper (26-Oct-2023) (Shift-1)
The correct answer is

The driver was under suspicion after the police found blood on his car.

Understanding the Idiom 'Under the Cloud'

The question asks us to identify the sentence that correctly provides the meaning of the idiom "Under the cloud". Idioms are phrases whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal meanings of its words.

Meaning of 'Under the Cloud'

The idiom "Under the cloud" means to be under suspicion, in disgrace, or regarded unfavourably.

Analyzing the Options

Let's examine each given option to see which one aligns with the meaning of "Under the cloud":

  • Option 1: "The driver was under suspicion after the police found blood on his car."

    This sentence explicitly uses the phrase "under suspicion". Being under suspicion means that people believe someone might have done something wrong. This directly matches the primary meaning of the idiom "Under the cloud".

  • Option 2: "The classmates were dancing together under the rain."

    This sentence describes people physically being under rainfall. This is a literal description of being under weather conditions and has no connection to suspicion or disgrace.

  • Option 3: "The Red fort looks beautiful amidst the cloudy weather and cold atmosphere."

    This sentence talks about literal clouds in the sky affecting the weather and appearance of a place. It relates to meteorology and atmosphere, not suspicion or disgrace.

  • Option 4: "It was the best place to sit under the sky with hands full of food."

    This sentence describes being outdoors ("under the sky") and having food. This is a literal description of location and activity and is unrelated to suspicion or disgrace.

Identifying the Correct Meaning

Comparing the meaning of the idiom "Under the cloud" (under suspicion, in disgrace) with the options, it is clear that Option 1 is the only sentence that reflects the correct meaning.

Therefore, the sentence "The driver was under suspicion after the police found blood on his car" provides the meaning of the idiom "Under the cloud".

Revision Table: Idioms and Meanings

Idiom Meaning Example Usage
Under the cloud Under suspicion or disgrace After the incident, the manager was under a cloud.
Break the ice To start a conversation in a social setting He told a joke to break the ice at the meeting.
Beat around the bush Avoiding the main topic Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want.

Additional Information on Idioms

Idioms are an important part of language, adding richness and nuance. They are figurative expressions, and their meanings are often culturally specific. Learning common idioms helps in understanding and using the language more effectively, especially in conversational contexts.

Understanding idioms like "Under the cloud" requires knowing the non-literal meaning associated with the phrase rather than interpreting the individual words literally.

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