Question:

The following idiom is followed by some alternatives. Choose the one which best expresses its meaning.
BITE THE DUST

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Think about the imagery of the idiom. "Biting the dust" creates a picture of someone falling face-down on the ground, which is a classic image of defeat or death in old Western movies, from which the phrase was popularized.
Updated On: Oct 13, 2025
  • Sacrifice
  • Chronic depression
  • Emerge as victorious
  • Suffer a defeat
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Idiom
The idiom "bite the dust" means to fail, to be defeated, or to die. The imagery is of someone falling to the ground (the dust) in defeat or death.

Step 2: Evaluating the Options


(A) Sacrifice: While defeat might involve sacrifice, it is not the direct meaning of the idiom.

(B) Chronic depression: This is a medical condition and unrelated to the idiom's meaning of failure or defeat.

(C) Emerge as victorious: This is the exact opposite of what "bite the dust" means.

(D) Suffer a defeat: This is a direct and accurate meaning of the idiom. If a team "bites the dust" in a match, it means they have been defeated.


Step 3: Final Answer
The idiom "bite the dust" means to be defeated or to fail. Therefore, option (D) is the correct answer.
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