When he heard that he had once again not been selected, he lost heart.
Answer: D
It means became discouraged.
To lose heart is to lose courage and confidence. It is not the same as to lose one's heart, which is to fall in love.
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In the organised society of today no individual or nation can plough a lonely furrow.
Answer: B
It means do without the help of others.
To plough a lonely furrow is to work on alone, without support or company. In a connected society no one can do so.
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To be above board
Answer: B
It means to be honest in any business deal.
Above board comes from card play: hands kept above the table cannot exchange cards secretly beneath it.
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To put one's hand to the plough
Answer: B
It means to take up a difficult task.
To put one's hand to the plough is to begin a hard undertaking in earnest, from the Gospel warning against looking back once one has done so.
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Broken Reed
Answer: B
It means support that failed.
A broken reed is a person or thing that fails one at need, from Isaiah's image of leaning on a bruised reed that pierces the hand.
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On that score
Answer: A
It means for that reason.
On that score means on that account, score here being the tally or reckoning - the same word as settling one's score.
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He has built a big business empire by his sharp practices.
Answer: C
It means dishonest dealings.
Sharp practice is conduct that stops just short of fraud - sharp here meaning cunning rather than clever.
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Spill the beans
Answer: B
It means to give away information.
To spill the beans is to reveal a secret, probably from an ancient voting method in which beans were dropped into a jar and an upset would show the result too soon.
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At sixes and sevens
Answer: C
It means in disorder.
At sixes and sevens means in confusion. It appears to come from a dice game, and from a medieval dispute between two London guilds over which should be sixth and which seventh in procession.
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Do not thrust your nose into my affairs.
Answer: D
It means meddle officiously in.
To thrust or poke one's nose into another's affairs is to interfere where one has no business.
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