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Difficulty: MediumIdiomatic Expressions in Context

When an unexpected sensor alert triggered during the field trial, the operations supervisor instructed the crew not to jump the gun until diagnostic telemetry could confirm the reading.

In this sentence, what does the expression jump the gun most nearly mean?

  1. A
    discharge a firearm accidentally
  2. act prematurely or hastilyAnswer
  3. C
    delay an action past a scheduled deadline
  4. D
    challenge the authority of senior leadership

Answer

act prematurely or hastily
The expression 'jump the gun' originates from track events where a runner starts before the starting gun fires. In general and technical usage, it figuratively means to act prematurely or start an action before the appropriate time or confirmation. In the given sentence, the supervisor cautions the crew against taking hasty action until diagnostic confirmation is obtained.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context clues in the sentence
The phrase 'until diagnostic telemetry could confirm the reading' indicates that the crew is being cautioned against taking immediate action before full confirmation is available.
Contextual time and contingency clauses help determine the temporal relationship and intent of the idiomatic action.
2
Deduce the figurative meaning of the idiomatic expression
The idiom 'jump the gun' figuratively means to start or act before the proper or designated time, which aligns directly with acting prematurely.
Idioms carry non-literal definitions established through common cultural usage.

Key Concept

Interpreting Idiomatic Expressions in Context
Estimated Time:45s
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Idiomatic Expressions in Context

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