In the following question, out of the four alternatives, choose the one which gives the meaning of the given idiom or phrase. To…

Question

In the following question, out of the four alternatives, choose the one which gives the meaning of the given idiom or phrase. To strain at a gnat and swallow a camel

1. A. To be extremely physically weak
2. B. To have a very large appetite
3. C. To fuss over trifles while ignoring big issues (Correct answer)
4. D. To be meticulous in everything

Correct Answer

Option C — To fuss over trifles while ignoring big issues

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is To fuss over trifles while ignoring bigger issues.

Key Points

• To strain at a gnat and swallow a camel describes objecting to something trivial while accepting something far more serious — a failure of proportion.
• The contrast is built into the image: a gnat is minute and a camel enormous, so the person filters out the first while consuming the second without complaint.
• The distractors read the words literally — physical weakness or a large appetite — which idioms are designed to defeat.

Additional Information

• The phrase is biblical in origin, from Matthew's gospel, where it criticises attention to minor rules at the expense of weightier matters.
• Idioms of misplaced priority: penny wise and pound foolish, missing the wood for the trees, rearranging the deckchairs, making a mountain out of a molehill.
• Note that "meticulous in everything" is a near-miss distractor — the idiom is not about carefulness in general but about inconsistent scrutiny.
• Idioms carrying an internal contrast usually mean exactly that contrast; identifying the two opposed images often gives the meaning without prior knowledge.