English Idiom — Choose the closest meaning. Sentence: The clerk wiped the nose of his employer by submitting a false bill and was dismissed from his job.

Introduction / Context:
Idioms sometimes sound odd when read literally. “Wiped the nose of his employer” is an idiomatic way (in some varieties of English) to say someone tricked or cheated another. The narrative support is clear: a false bill was submitted and the clerk was dismissed. The idiom, the act, and the consequence all point to dishonesty.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• An employee submitted a false bill.
• He was dismissed afterward.
• We must infer the idiom’s meaning from context.

Concept / Approach:
When an idiom is unfamiliar, anchor it to concrete facts. Filing a false bill constitutes cheating or defrauding an employer. “Cleaned the nose,” “abused,” or “slapped” do not align with the administrative misconduct described. Therefore, “Cheated” is the correct paraphrase of the action and the idiom’s intent in this sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Paraphrase: “The clerk cheated his employer by submitting a false bill and was dismissed.” The sequence is coherent and matches typical disciplinary grounds in workplaces.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Cleaned the nose: Literal; nonsensical in HR context.
• Abused: Verbal or physical mistreatment; unrelated to billing fraud.
• Slapped: Physical act; not supported by the facts given.

Common Pitfalls:
Over-literal readings of figurative language. Always align the inferred meaning with the factual cues in the sentence (false bill → cheating).

Final Answer:
Cheated