Question

Find the meaning of the italicized word: The chain snatcher was beaten black and blue by the mob.

• A. admired
• B. thrashed severely
• C. painted in black and blue colours
• D. arrested

Hint:

The idiom “black and blue” means badly beaten or severely bruised.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept:
An idiom is an expression whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of its words. The idiom \[ \text{black and blue} \] does not mean actual black and blue colours here. It means badly bruised or beaten severely.

Step 1: Understand the sentence. The sentence says: \[ \text{The chain snatcher was beaten black and blue by the mob.} \] Here, the chain snatcher was beaten by a crowd. So the phrase describes the severe beating.

Step 2: Identify the idiomatic meaning. \[ \text{black and blue}=\text{badly bruised} \] or \[ \text{beaten severely} \]

Step 3: Check the options. \[ \text{admired} \] means praised, which is not correct. \[ \text{painted in black and blue colours} \] is the literal meaning, not the idiomatic meaning. \[ \text{arrested} \] means taken into police custody, which is not the meaning here.

Step 4: Final answer. \[ \boxed{\text{thrashed severely}} \]