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Question

Difficulty: HardCollocations and Fixed Phrases

Complete the sentence by filling in the blank with the appropriate word to complete the fixed English collocation.

Answer:By secretly securing exclusive distribution rights before rival firms had even submitted their proposals, the logistics company managed to 【steal】 a march on the entire regional market.

Answer

steal
The verb 'steal' correctly completes the fixed English expression 'to steal a march on', which means to gain an advantage over competitors by acting secretly or before they are prepared.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target idiom/collocation in the sentence context.
The phrase '_ a march on' signifies gaining an unexpected advantage over competitors by acting before them.
Standard English fixed expressions require specific verbs that cannot be substituted with near-synonyms.
2
Select the verb that correctly pairs with 'a march on'.
The correct verb is 'steal', completing the idiom 'to steal a march on'.
'Steal a march on' is an established idiomatic expression originating from military tactics.

Key Concept

Fixed Idiomatic Collocations
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Topics

Collocations and Fixed Phrases

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