Question

Select the meaning of the given phrase/idiom.
Look back
 a) See backwards
b) Examine
c) Think over the past
d) Rejoice over some past happening

Answer 1

Hint: A phrase refers to an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up. For example- ‘be up’ refers to being out of bed.

Complete answer:
In the given question, the phrase ‘look back’ refers to look back upon (a period of time, a sequence of events); remember.
Let us thus analyze the options given to us in this question:
Option (a.), 'see backwards', refers to perceive by sight at or to or toward the back or rear.
Therefore, option (a.) is incorrect as it is not at all similar to what the definition of ‘look back’ says.\

Option (b.), ‘examine', refers to a verb which means to consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning.
Therefore, option (b.) is incorrect as it is not similar to the meaning of ‘look back’.

Option (c.), ‘think over the past', refers to remembering a past happening.
Therefore, option (c.) is correct as it is synonymous with that of ‘look back’’s definition.

Option (d.), ‘rejoice over some past happening', refers to feeling happiness or joy while remembering something in the past.
Therefore, option (d.) is incorrect as it is not similar to what ‘look back’ means.

Note:
In this type of question, the student must always recall that phrases should not be taken literally, as they seldom mean what the words in the phrase collectively portray to mean. Let’s now look at an example where the given phrase ‘look back’ is used-
People will look back on this someday as a really difficult time.