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Difficulty: HardIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

During the contentious labour disputes, the newly appointed union representative decided to take up the cudgels for the junior employees against management's unfair policies.

Which of the following best expresses the meaning of the underlined idiomatic expression as used in the sentence above?

  1. A
    Physically arm oneself with heavy sticks to attack opponents
  2. Vigorously defend and champion the cause of someoneAnswer
  3. C
    Impose strict disciplinary sanctions upon rebellious subordinates
  4. D
    Withdraw all legal and institutional support from a vulnerable group

Answer

The expression means to vigorously defend and champion the cause of someone.
The idiomatic expression 'take up the cudgels for' means to strongly defend, advocate for, or support a person, group, or cause during an argument or struggle. In the sentence context, the representative is standing up in support of junior employees against management.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the idiom in context
The idiom is 'take up the cudgels for', set in a workplace dispute context where a representative acts on behalf of junior staff.
Contextual analysis helps clarify the role and stance of the subject.
2
Determine the figurative meaning
'Cudgels' historically refers to weapons, but the idiom figuratively means to enter a fight or argument to defend someone else passionately.
Idioms cannot be interpreted literally by word components.
3
Select the matching definition
The meaning corresponds to defending and advocating for a cause or group.
It captures the supportive and defensive nature of the idiom.

Key Concept

Interpretation of English Idioms in Context
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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