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Difficulty: HardMultiple-Meaning Words

Facing an unexpected delay in the arrival of the supply convoy, the outpost commander instructed the maintenance crew to husband their remaining fuel reserves.

In this sentence, the underlined word husband most nearly means which of the following?

  1. A
    marry
  2. conserveAnswer
  3. C
    deplete
  4. D
    shelter

Answer

conserve
The verb 'husband' means to manage prudently, economize, or conserve resources. In the context of dealing with delayed shipments, the commander is ordering the crew to preserve their remaining fuel supply.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context and identify the target word's grammatical function.
The word 'husband' is used as a transitive verb indicating an action performed on 'remaining fuel reserves' due to an 'unexpected delay'.
Understanding the part of speech and surrounding operational constraints prevents confusing the verb with the common noun.
2
Infer the required action based on the situational context.
When supplies are delayed, an outpost must ration, protect, and use existing supplies sparingly.
Contextual logic demands a meaning centered on preservation and economical management.
3
Evaluate the options to find the definition that aligns with economical management.
'Conserve' directly matches the definition of the verb 'husband' (to manage economically or use sparingly).
Matching the precise secondary definition satisfies both grammatical role and contextual demands.

Key Concept

Polysemous words with secondary verb meanings in operational contexts
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Multiple-Meaning Words

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