Select the most appropriate meaning of the idiom given in bold in the following sentence. The minister is a little hard of hearing.
partially deaf
Understanding the Idiom "Hard of Hearing"
The question asks for the most appropriate meaning of the idiom "hard of hearing" as used in the sentence, "The minister is a little hard of hearing." Idioms are phrases or expressions that have a figurative, non-literal meaning, which is different from the literal meaning of the words themselves. To understand an idiom, you often need to know its conventional meaning.
Meaning of Hard of Hearing
The idiom "hard of hearing" is a common phrase used to describe someone who has difficulty hearing. It means that a person's hearing is not very good, and they may need things to be spoken more loudly or clearly for them to understand. It implies a partial loss of hearing ability, not complete deafness.
Analyzing the Options
Let's look at the given options and compare them with the meaning of "hard of hearing":
- inaccessible: This means difficult or impossible to reach, get to, or use. This meaning has nothing to do with hearing ability.
- callous: This describes someone who is insensitive and cruel disregard for others. This relates to a person's emotional or moral nature, not their physical hearing.
- partially deaf: This means someone has lost some, but not all, of their ability to hear. This directly aligns with the meaning of having difficulty hearing or being "hard of hearing."
- insensitive: This means lacking sensitivity or feeling. While being hard of hearing might sometimes lead to someone missing something and appearing insensitive, the idiom itself describes the physical condition of hearing difficulty, not a personality trait of being unfeeling.
Identifying the Most Appropriate Meaning
Based on the analysis, the phrase "hard of hearing" is a polite way to say that someone is partially deaf or has difficulty hearing. The sentence "The minister is a little hard of hearing" means the minister has some difficulty with their hearing.
Conclusion
The most appropriate meaning of the idiom "hard of hearing" among the given options is "partially deaf".
| Idiom | Meaning | Context Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hard of hearing | Having difficulty hearing; partially deaf | You need to speak up, Grandma is a little hard of hearing. |
Revision Table: Key Concepts
| Term | Definition/Explanation | Relation to Idiom |
|---|---|---|
| Idiom | A phrase whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of its words. | "Hard of hearing" is an idiom. |
| Hard of Hearing | Experiencing difficulty in hearing sounds clearly. | The specific idiom in question. |
| Partially Deaf | Having a degree of hearing loss. | The direct meaning of "hard of hearing". |
Additional Information: Understanding Idioms in English
Idioms are an important part of learning English. They add color and expressiveness to the language. Here are a few points about idioms:
- Idioms often cannot be understood by looking up the individual words in a dictionary.
- They need to be learned as whole phrases.
- Using idioms correctly can make your English sound more natural.
- Many idioms have historical origins that explain their meanings, but sometimes the origin is obscure.
Examples of other common idioms:
- Break a leg: Good luck (used especially before a performance).
- It's raining cats and dogs: It's raining very heavily.
- Piece of cake: Something very easy to do.
Important Questions from Miscellaneous
A stone is thrown horizontally from the top of a 20 m high building with a speed of 12 m/s. It hits the ground at a distance R from the building. Taking g = 10 m/s2 and neglecting air resistance will give :
A sphere of volume V is made of a material with lower density than water. While on Earth, it floats on water with its volume f1V (f1 < 1) submerged. On the other hand, on a spaceship accelerating with acceleration a < g (g is the acceleration due to gravity on Earth) in outer space, its submerged volume in water is f2V. Then:
A railway wagon (open at the top) of mass M1 is moving with speed v1 along a straight track. As a result of rain, after some time it gets partially filled with water so that the mass of the wagon becomes M2 and speed becomes v2. Taking the rain to be falling vertically and the water stationery inside the wagon, the relation between the two speeds v1 and v2 is :
Consider the following statements:
1. Distance between the longitudes becomes zero on North Pole and South Pole.
2. Distance between the longitudes is maximum on the Equator.
3. Number of longitudes is more than number of latitudes.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
One block of 2⋅0 kg mass is placed on top of another block of 3⋅0 kg mass. The coefficient of static friction between the two blocks is 0⋅2. The bottom block is pulled with a horizontal force F such that both the blocks move together without slipping. Taking acceleration due to gravity as 10 m/s2, the maximum value of the frictional force is :
