The inspector 'got wind of' the smuggling operation through an anonymous tip three days before the arrest. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To receive official confirmation of a planned operation
• B. To receive informal information about something that is happening secretly (Answer)
• C. To be officially informed of a case by a superior
• D. To gather physical evidence at a crime scene

'Get wind of' means to hear about something unofficially or through informal channels — as animals smell approaching danger on the wind before seeing it. Option A (official confirmation) implies formal channels; the idiom specifically suggests informal or indirect discovery of information.

The marketing team was waiting for the board to 'give them the green light' before launching the advertising campaign. What does this phrase mean?

• A. To provide financial resources for a project
• B. To give official permission or approval to proceed (Answer)
• C. To encourage the team with positive feedback
• D. To share the complete strategy plan with the team

'Give the green light' means to give official permission or authorisation to begin something — taken from traffic signals where green means go. Option A (financial resources) is one aspect of approval but not what the idiom itself means. Option C (positive feedback) is encouragement, not authorisation.

After gaining three major clients in a week, the startup finally 'had the upper hand' in its negotiations with the larger company. What does this mean?

• A. To possess a physical advantage in a contest
• B. To be in a position of advantage or control in a situation (Answer)
• C. To have more experience than the other party
• D. To be more popular or well-known in an industry

'Have the upper hand' means to be in a position of advantage or power over another. It originates from a children's game of stacking hands — the person whose hand is on top has an advantage. Option C (more experience) and D (more popular) are forms of advantage but the idiom is about positional control in a specific situation.

The new recruit was expected to 'hit the ground running' and contribute from her very first day. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To make a dramatic entrance at a new workplace
• B. To begin working immediately and effectively without needing time to settle (Answer)
• C. To quickly identify the biggest challenges in a new role
• D. To take risks immediately rather than planning carefully

'Hit the ground running' means to start an activity quickly and energetically, achieving results from the very beginning without needing a settling-in period. The image is of a soldier jumping from a moving vehicle and running immediately. Option C (identify challenges) is an early task but not the full meaning of the idiom.

The financial advisor told her client that 'in the long run', a diverse investment portfolio would yield better returns than individual stocks. What does this phrase mean?

• A. Over a very short period of time with immediate results
• B. Ultimately, after a long period of time has passed (Answer)
• C. After extensive research and data analysis
• D. Under the most favourable market conditions

'In the long run' means ultimately, when considering the effects over a long period of time rather than immediately. It contrasts with short-term losses or costs that may seem significant now. Option A is the opposite. Option D introduces conditions not in the phrase.

The anxious parents were 'keeping their fingers crossed' as they waited for their daughter's medical test results. What does this expression mean?

• A. To pray at a religious ceremony for good fortune
• B. To hope strongly that something will succeed or turn out well (Answer)
• C. To ensure a decision is made fairly
• D. To remain patient during a period of uncertainty

'Keep one's fingers crossed' means to hope earnestly for a good outcome — a gesture believed to bring good luck or ward off bad luck. Option D (remaining patient) describes behaviour during uncertainty but not the hopeful wish-making quality of the idiom.

With only two weeks until the submission deadline, the research team decided it was time to 'knuckle down'. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To argue about the division of work among team members
• B. To apply oneself seriously and work hard (Answer)
• C. To seek urgent help from an external consultant
• D. To reduce the scope of the project to meet the deadline

'Knuckle down' means to start working seriously and with concentrated effort. The origin refers to the game of marbles, where placing the knuckle down on the ground denoted a committed position. Option D (reduce scope) is a strategy; the idiom is about applying full effort, not changing the task.

After months of stressful negotiations, the legal team went to a spa weekend to 'let off steam'. What does this expression mean?

• A. To resign from a stressful job to find peace
• B. To release pent-up emotions or energy in a harmless way (Answer)
• C. To air grievances openly at a team meeting
• D. To take a permanent break from a demanding routine

'Let off steam' means to release stress, frustration, or excess energy through an activity — from the image of a steam engine releasing pressure to avoid an explosion. Option C (air grievances at a meeting) is a verbal release in a formal context; the idiom implies a more physical or recreational outlet.

The creative director, a lifelong introvert, felt 'like a fish out of water' at the loud networking event. What does this idiom convey?

• A. Feeling lost and unappreciated in a new role
• B. Feeling uncomfortable and out of place in an unfamiliar environment (Answer)
• C. Struggling to breathe in a crowded room
• D. Being the only expert among non-experts

'Like a fish out of water' means to feel uncomfortable, awkward, or out of place in an unfamiliar environment — just as a fish, removed from its natural habitat, is helpless. Option D (only expert) might cause social discomfort but doesn't match the core meaning of environmental misfit the idiom describes.

In the heat of the argument, she completely 'lost her head' and said things she later regretted. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To forget an important piece of information at a crucial moment
• B. To become so emotional that one acts irrationally (Answer)
• C. To faint due to extreme stress
• D. To become confused by conflicting instructions

'Lose one's head' means to become so overcome by emotion — usually anger or panic — that one acts without reason or control. Option A (forgetting information) involves a failure of memory, not emotional control. Option C (fainting) is literal. Option D (confused by instructions) is a cognitive issue, not an emotional one.