Spell Bee Word: sabotage

Basic Details

Word: Sabotage

Part of Speech: Verb

Meaning: To intentionally damage or destroy something to stop it from working properly.

Synonyms: Undermine, disrupt, impair

Antonyms: Support, assist, help

Idioms and Phrases

1. Sabotage your own efforts: To unintentionally harm your own chances of success. Example: "If you don’t study for the test, you will sabotage your own efforts."
2. Sabotage in plain sight: To deliberately interfere while being obvious about it. Example: "The player was caught trying to sabotage the game in plain sight by tampering with the scoreboard."

Usage Examples

Example 1: They discovered that someone was trying to sabotage the project by leaking information.

Example 2: To win, we must not allow competitors to sabotage our success with unfair tactics.

Example 3: The factory's production was affected when workers were found attempting to sabotage the machines.

Fun Fact

The term "sabotage" originates from the French word "sabot," meaning a type of clog or wooden shoe. During strikes in the late 19th century, workers would throw their sabots into machines to damage them and protest against poor working conditions.

Famous Quote

"A man must be able to put the exploding hand grenade on the table and then walk away without sweating." - George S. Patton

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What does "sabotage" mean?

a) To help something become successful
b) To harm something intentionally
c) To build something new
d) To support a friend

Answer: b) To harm something intentionally

2. Which of these is a synonym of "sabotage"?

a) Assist
b) Undermine
c) Enhance
d) Promote

Answer: b) Undermine

3. Which sentence uses "sabotage" correctly?

a) He tried to sabotage his project to make it better.
b) The chef decided to sabotage the meal by seasoning it too much.
c) She did not want to sabotage her friend’s chances of winning the race.
d) The gardener wanted to sabotage the plants to help them grow.

Answer: c) She did not want to sabotage her friend’s chances of winning the race.

4. Which idiom means to harm your own chances of success?

a) Sabotage your own efforts
b) A blessing in disguise
c) All in a day’s work
d) A stitch in time saves nine

Answer: a) Sabotage your own efforts

5. What is the opposite of "sabotage"?

a) Destroy
b) Assist
c) Disrupt
d) Harm

Answer: b) Assist