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Difficulty: Very hardIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct word to complete the idiomatic expression.

Answer:The corporate treasurer was strictly warned that manipulating regulatory loopholes to temporarily boost quarterly earnings was effectively sailing close to the 【wind】, an action that could easily result in severe legal consequences.

Answer

wind
The correct completion is 'wind'. The idiomatic expression 'to sail close to the wind' means to act on the margin of safety, propriety, or legality, taking risks that verge on dangerous or unlawful behavior.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context to identify the core meaning of taking dangerous or risky actions that test legal boundaries.
The context describes an action involving legal risk and legal boundaries.
Understanding the context helps identify the fixed metaphorical phrasing used in English lexis.
2
Recall the fixed idiomatic expression corresponding to taking risks or acting near the edge of legality/safety.
The fixed idiom is 'to sail close to the wind'.
Idioms are fixed multi-word expressions where individual constituent words cannot be arbitrarily substituted.
3
Determine the precise word required to complete the blank.
The missing noun is 'wind'.
'Sail close to the wind' originates from nautical terminology referring to sailing as close as possible to the direction from which the wind is blowing.

Key Concept

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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