Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom.

Scrape the barrel

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2023 Tier-I Official Paper (Held On: 17 Jul 2023 Shift 2)
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  1. Trying to find something
  2. Hiding something
  3. Using all the ways to achieve the desired result
  4. To be forced to use one's last and weakest resource

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 4 : To be forced to use one's last and weakest resource
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PYST 1: SSC CGL - English (Held On : 11 April 2022 Shift 1)
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Detailed Solution

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The correct answer is: To be forced to use one's last and weakest resource.

Key Points

  • The idiom "scrape the barrel" means to use one's last and weakest resource.
    • For example- We're only a couple of months into the general election campaign, but political parties are already scraping the barrel for ideas.
  • This phrase is often used when someone is in a difficult situation and has exhausted all other options.
  • The word "scrape" implies that the resource being used is barely enough to get by.
  • Grammatically, "scrape the barrel" is an idiom or phrase that doesn't have a literal meaning but is understood through common usage.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 4.

Additional Information

  • "Trying to find something" is a common interpretation of this phrase, but it doesn't capture the sense of desperation that comes with using one's last resource.
  • "Hiding something" is not related to the meaning of this idiom.
  • "Using all the ways to achieve the desired result" is similar to the correct answer but doesn't convey the sense of weakness in the resource being used.

Hinglish

  • The English idiomatic expression "scrape the barrel" corresponds to the Hindi phrase "चरबों से मक्खन निकालना"
  • It signifies the act of using the least desirable resources or resorting to desperate means due to a lack of better options.
  • For example: "लेखकों की कमी के कारण, प्रकाशकों को चरबों से मक्खन निकालने की स्थिति में हैं।"
  • In English: "Due to a lack of authors, the publishers are in a situation of scraping the barrel."
    • It means that because there are not enough authors, the publishers have to resort to using less desirable ones.
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