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Question

Difficulty: MediumIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

When the regional agricultural cooperative faced insolvency, the appointed liquidator sold off the entire processing facility, lock, stock, and barrel. Which of the following best captures the meaning of the emboldened expression?

  1. completely, including every single part and assetAnswer
  2. B
    by breaking down the physical padlocks, inventory storehouses, and storage containers
  3. C
    at a heavily discounted price to favor government-backed investors
  4. D
    partially, while keeping the main machinery for future operations

Answer

The correct option is the one stating 'completely, including every single part and asset'.
The idiomatic expression 'lock, stock, and barrel' means entirely or completely, leaving nothing behind. In the context of selling a facility upon insolvency, it indicates that every asset and component of the facility was sold altogether.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence.
The sentence describes an agricultural cooperative undergoing liquidating sales due to insolvency.
Understanding context helps determine how the figurative phrase functions in the scenario.
2
Identify the figurative meaning of the idiom 'lock, stock, and barrel'.
Historically originating from the three constituent parts of a musket, the idiom figuratively means 'completely', 'in its entirety', or 'including everything'.
Idioms cannot be decoded by summing the literal definitions of their individual words.
3
Match the figurative meaning with the appropriate option.
The phrase 'completely, including every single part and asset' matches the figurative meaning precisely.
This option accurately captures total inclusion without distortion or literal misinterpretation.

Key Concept

Idiomatic Expressions - Figurative Interpretation
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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