Learn English Idioms 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'steal someone's thunder' mean?
- To take credit for someone else's work
- To upstage or take attention away from someone (Correct answer)
- To cause a loud disturbance
- To copy someone's style
Correct answer: To upstage or take attention away from someone
'Steal someone's thunder' means to take attention or credit away from another person.
Question 2: If you 'sit on the fence,' you are:
- Refusing to participate
- Avoiding taking a side in a disagreement (Correct answer)
- Being lazy and inactive
- Watching from a safe distance
Correct answer: Avoiding taking a side in a disagreement
'Sit on the fence' means to remain neutral and avoid committing to a position.
Question 3: 'The last straw' in an idiom refers to:
- The final problem that makes a situation unbearable (Correct answer)
- A single piece of hay
- The best solution to a problem
- An unexpected opportunity
Correct answer: The final problem that makes a situation unbearable
This comes from 'the straw that broke the camel's back,' meaning the final problem that causes a collapse.
Question 4: What does it mean to 'go back to square one'?
- To revisit an old neighborhood
- To start completely over from the beginning (Correct answer)
- To make a small correction
- To return to a previous agreement
Correct answer: To start completely over from the beginning
'Go back to square one' means to start a process over again from the very beginning.
Question 5: If someone 'lets sleeping dogs lie,' they are:
- Avoiding waking up a pet
- Avoiding bringing up an old problem (Correct answer)
- Being cowardly in a conflict
- Pretending to ignore someone
Correct answer: Avoiding bringing up an old problem
This idiom means to avoid revisiting an old issue that could cause trouble if brought up again.
Question 6: What does 'add fuel to the fire' mean?
- To help solve a problem
- To make a bad situation even worse (Correct answer)
- To provide energy for a project
- To start an argument from scratch
Correct answer: To make a bad situation even worse
'Add fuel to the fire' means to worsen an already bad or heated situation.
Question 7: 'Bite the hand that feeds you' means to:
- Refuse food from a stranger
- Be ungrateful or harmful toward someone who helps you (Correct answer)
- Take advantage of a generous offer
- Compete against your employer
Correct answer: Be ungrateful or harmful toward someone who helps you
This idiom means to act against or harm the person or group that supports and helps you.
Learn English Idioms 5
What does 'steal someone's thunder' mean?