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Question

Difficulty: MediumIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

Read the sentence below carefully:

'During the parliamentary debate on the national budget, the minister of finance and the opposition spokesperson locked horns over the allocation of public funds.'

Which of the following options best conveys the meaning of the underlined idiomatic expression?

  1. engaged in a fierce dispute or conflictAnswer
  2. B
    reached a swift and harmonious compromise
  3. C
    collided physically while presenting on stage
  4. D
    signed a joint agreement to approve the expenditures

Answer

The expression 'locked horns' means engaged in a fierce dispute or conflict.
The idiom 'lock horns' comes from imagery of horned animals fighting by interlocking their horns. In general usage, it means to enter into a direct struggle, severe argument, or heavy dispute. In the given sentence, it describes the intense disagreement between the minister and the opposition spokesperson over public fund allocation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence
The setting is a parliamentary debate regarding budget allocations, which inherently suggests opposition and intense disagreement.
Context clues help determine whether the interaction was cooperative or contentious.
2
Interpret the figurative meaning of the idiom 'lock horns'
Derived from animals interlocking horns during combat, the idiom figuratively denotes getting involved in a clash, fight, or violent argument.
Idioms cannot be understood literally; their established figurative meanings must be applied.

Key Concept

Interpretation of English idioms in sentence contexts
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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