What does the idiom lose your shirt mean?

• A. To gamble and lose money
• B. To gain more money
• C. To lose most or all of your money
• D. To save money carefully

Answer: (C)

This question tests understanding of what an idiom conveys in everyday English. Lose your shirt means to lose most or all of your money, usually after taking a big financial risk like gambling or a bad investment. It emphasizes the dramatic extent of the loss, not just the act of gambling or merely earning or saving money. This is why it’s the best fit: it captures the idea of ending up with almost nothing, which is what the expression is meant to express. For example, if someone bets everything on a game and ends up with nothing, you’d say they lost their shirt. The other ideas describe gaining money, saving money, or a generic gambling act, none of which convey the severe loss the phrase implies.