Choose the option that can meaningfully replace the underlined part of the sentence: The firemen extinguished the fire.

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (2):

"Extinguished" means to put an end to something, especially a fire, by removing heat, oxygen, or fuel. This is a formal verb. In English, we often use phrasal verbs, which are combinations of a verb and a preposition or adverb (or both), to express the same meaning in a more casual or idiomatic way. The phrasal verb that precisely means "to stop a fire from burning" is "put out." Therefore, using "put out" in the sentence, "The firemen put out the fire," retains the original meaning perfectly. This understanding is crucial for demonstrating proficiency in idiomatic English, particularly with common phrasal verbs related to action and cessation.

The incorrect option is (1):

"Put down" has several common meanings, none of which mean "to stop a fire." Primarily, "put down" means to suppress, as in to crush a rebellion ("The army put down the revolt"), or to insult or criticize someone harshly. It can also mean to record something in writing or, sadly, to euthanize an animal. In the context of fire fighting, substituting "put down" for "extinguished" would result in an incoherent sentence, as it changes the action described by the firemen to something entirely unrelated to stopping the blaze.

The incorrect option is (3):

The phrasal verb "put off" typically means to postpone or delay an event or action ("We decided to put off the meeting until next week"). It can also mean to discourage someone or repel them ("The smell of the old cheese put me off my dinner"). While "put off" involves a delay or aversion, it does not carry the meaning of physically stopping or ending a fire, making it contextually inappropriate as a synonym for "extinguished."

The incorrect option is (4):

"Put on" is a highly versatile phrasal verb, but its primary meanings involve placing something onto the body (like clothing: "Put on your coat") or starting an appliance/light/music ("Put on the radio"). It can also mean to stage a performance or to gain weight. In stark contrast to "extinguished," which means *stopping* the fire, "put on" does not relate to combustion, suppression, or cessation, and thus cannot replace the underlined word meaningfully.