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Difficulty: HardIdiomatic Expressions in Context

During the post-mission safety debriefing, the senior inspector refused to pull punches, detailing every procedural violation in uncompromising language rather than downplaying the team's operational risks. In this context, what does the expression 'pull punches' mean?

  1. A
    Fabricate severe charges against personnel to assign blame
  2. B
    Deliver praise and formal commendations for effort
  3. Act with restraint or soften criticismAnswer
  4. D
    Strike someone with reduced physical impact

Answer

Act with restraint or soften criticism
The idiom 'pull punches' figuratively means to soften criticism or act with restraint. The context clarifies this through the contrast phrase 'rather than downplaying the team's operational risks,' showing that pulling punches would mean holding back harsh truths.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence structure and context clues surrounding the target idiom.
The sentence states the inspector 'refused to pull punches' and instead gave 'uncompromising language rather than downplaying' risks.
Contrast words like 'rather than downplaying' indicate that pulling punches involves minimizing severity or holding back.
2
Determine the figurative meaning of the idiom in isolation and apply it to the scenario.
The idiom 'pull punches' originates from combat sports where a fighter deliberately softens a blow; figuratively, it means expressing criticism mildly or with restraint.
Because the inspector refused to pull punches, the inspector chose not to soften the criticism.

Key Concept

Idiomatic Expressions in Context
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Idiomatic Expressions in Context

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