SSC Exam  >  SSC Questions  >  DirectionsIn the following questions four alt... Start Learning for Free
Directions
In the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase and mark it as your answer.

Q. to back the wrong horse
  • a)
    to reach a crisis
  • b)
      to keep in check
  • c)
      to punish 
  • d)
    to help the wrong person
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
DirectionsIn the following questions four alternatives are given for t...
Meaning: To support or choose the wrong person, cause, or idea.

Explanation:
The idiom "to back the wrong horse" is a figurative expression that is derived from horse racing. In horse racing, bettors place their bets on the horse they believe will win the race. However, if someone chooses to back the wrong horse, it means that they have made an incorrect prediction or decision, usually by supporting a person or idea that turns out to be unsuccessful or wrong.

Example:
Let's consider an example to understand the meaning of the idiom more clearly. Suppose there are two candidates running for a political office, Candidate A and Candidate B. Candidate A is widely believed to be the frontrunner and has a lot of support from influential people. However, you decide to support Candidate B, who is considered an underdog and has fewer chances of winning. In this scenario, if Candidate A eventually wins the election, it can be said that you "backed the wrong horse" because you supported the person who did not succeed.

Alternative Explanation:
Another way to understand the meaning of "to back the wrong horse" is to think of it as investing your time, energy, or resources into someone or something that proves to be unsuccessful or fails to meet expectations.

Alternative Example:
Suppose you are a manager in a company and you have two employees, Employee X and Employee Y, who are competing for a promotion. Employee X is hardworking, dedicated, and consistently produces high-quality work. On the other hand, Employee Y is known for being lazy, unreliable, and often makes mistakes. However, you choose to support and advocate for Employee Y, believing that they have the potential to improve. Unfortunately, when the promotion decision is made, Employee X gets the promotion because their track record and performance were superior. In this situation, you can say that you "backed the wrong horse" by supporting Employee Y instead of Employee X.

Inference:
In both examples, the idiom "to back the wrong horse" signifies the act of supporting or choosing the wrong person or idea, which ultimately leads to disappointment, failure, or unfavorable outcomes. It is important to carefully evaluate and consider the options before making a decision or offering support to avoid backing the wrong horse.
Explore Courses for SSC exam
DirectionsIn the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase and mark it as your answer.Q. to back the wrong horsea)to reach a crisisb) to keep in checkc) to punishd)to help the wrong personCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
DirectionsIn the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase and mark it as your answer.Q. to back the wrong horsea)to reach a crisisb) to keep in checkc) to punishd)to help the wrong personCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? for SSC 2024 is part of SSC preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the SSC exam syllabus. Information about DirectionsIn the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase and mark it as your answer.Q. to back the wrong horsea)to reach a crisisb) to keep in checkc) to punishd)to help the wrong personCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for SSC 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for DirectionsIn the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase and mark it as your answer.Q. to back the wrong horsea)to reach a crisisb) to keep in checkc) to punishd)to help the wrong personCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for DirectionsIn the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase and mark it as your answer.Q. to back the wrong horsea)to reach a crisisb) to keep in checkc) to punishd)to help the wrong personCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for SSC. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for SSC Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of DirectionsIn the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase and mark it as your answer.Q. to back the wrong horsea)to reach a crisisb) to keep in checkc) to punishd)to help the wrong personCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of DirectionsIn the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase and mark it as your answer.Q. to back the wrong horsea)to reach a crisisb) to keep in checkc) to punishd)to help the wrong personCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for DirectionsIn the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase and mark it as your answer.Q. to back the wrong horsea)to reach a crisisb) to keep in checkc) to punishd)to help the wrong personCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of DirectionsIn the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase and mark it as your answer.Q. to back the wrong horsea)to reach a crisisb) to keep in checkc) to punishd)to help the wrong personCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice DirectionsIn the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase and mark it as your answer.Q. to back the wrong horsea)to reach a crisisb) to keep in checkc) to punishd)to help the wrong personCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice SSC tests.
Explore Courses for SSC exam
Signup for Free!
Signup to see your scores go up within 7 days! Learn & Practice with 1000+ FREE Notes, Videos & Tests.
10M+ students study on EduRev