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Zorluk: OrtaIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

During the heated committee debate on urban development, the council members were criticized for splitting hairs over minor procedural rules rather than addressing the city's urgent infrastructure crisis. Which of the following best expresses the meaning of the underlined idiomatic expression?

  1. making trivial, overly fine distinctions about unimportant detailsCevap
  2. B
    physically cutting and grooming strands of hair into precise lengths
  3. C
    misappropriating public funds for personal financial gain
  4. D
    reaching a quick and harmonious agreement on major policies

Cevap

The expression 'splitting hairs' means making trivial, overly fine distinctions about unimportant details.
The idiom 'splitting hairs' means to waste effort making minute, subtle, or trivial distinctions that have little practical importance. In the context of the sentence, focusing on minor procedural rules instead of the main infrastructure crisis illustrates this behavior.

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1
Analyze the context of the sentence
The committee is focusing on minor procedural rules while ignoring an urgent infrastructure crisis.
Contextual clues contrast petty, detailed discussions with urgent, major problems.
2
Identify the figurative meaning of the idiom
'Splitting hairs' figuratively refers to wasting time quibbling over insignificant details.
Idiomatic expressions convey non-literal meanings established through conventional usage.

Anahtar Kavram

Interpretation of English Idiomatic Expressions in Context
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