Palsy-walsy friends
- (a)Good friends
- (b)Friends who help each other in difficult situations
- (c)Friends by choice, and not by chance
- (d)Unfriendly
Answer
A
Why
Correct — A, 'Good friends'. 'Palsy-walsy' is an informal word meaning very friendly or intimate (built on 'pals'), so palsy-walsy friends are simply close, good friends — option (a).
Why the others are wrong
- (b)Friends who help each other in difficult situations — That describes friends in need; palsy-walsy points to closeness and familiarity, not mutual rescue.
- (c)Friends by choice, and not by chance — A general saying about chosen friends — it does not capture the 'very friendly/intimate' sense of palsy-walsy.
- (d)Unfriendly — This is the direct opposite of the term's meaning.
Concept
'Palsy-walsy' is informal for very friendly or matey, so palsy-walsy friends are close, good friends.
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.
Practice
- practice — not a real PYQ
Choose the correct meaning of the phrase 'bosom friend'.
- (a)A rival
- (b)A very close friend
- (c)A new acquaintance
- (d)A business partner
Answer(b) A very close friend — like palsy-walsy, it stresses intimacy and closeness.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Choose the correct meaning of the idiom 'thick as thieves'.
- (a)Very dishonest
- (b)Very close and friendly
- (c)Always quarrelling
- (d)Complete strangers
Answer(b) Very close and friendly — it describes people who are extremely close, similar in tone to palsy-walsy.