Question

Choose the correct meaning of the given proverb:
Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

• A. New parents should not be so careless while bathing their baby.
• B. Don't discard something valuable along with something undesirable.
• C. Don't lose your temper over your baby.
• D. Babies are precious and should not be thrown away.

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Don't discard something valuable along with something undesirable.

A proverb is a short saying that states a general truth or advice. They're popular as they are told and retold through generations, incorporated in books and stories that grandparents narrate to children. Proverbs have a deeper meaning than the one you perceive at first. The given proverb speaks common sense, but it has a deeper meaning. The baby represents something valuable, the bathwater represents something that has no value. Do not get rid of something valuable in the quest to get rid of something worthless. Option B gives the same meaning, hence B is correct. Options A, C and D are general truths and don't mean the same as the intended meaning of the proverb, hence A, C and D are incorrect.