In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom or phrase to drink like a fish.

Introduction / Context:
This is an idiom based question. The phrase to drink like a fish is a colourful expression that appears in stories, conversations, and sometimes in exam passages. It does not refer to ordinary drinking of water, but to a person habit or behaviour regarding alcohol. The question requires choosing the option that most accurately captures this figurative meaning.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The idiom given is to drink like a fish.
• Four descriptive options are presented.
• We assume the context of human behaviour, not literal fish behaviour.
• The phrase drink like a fish is known to be about frequency or quantity of drinking.
• The correct answer must include the idea of excessive drinking.

Concept / Approach:
The expression compares a person drinking to the imagined constant contact that fish have with water, suggesting very heavy consumption. In everyday English, if someone is said to drink like a fish, it means that person consumes large amounts of alcohol, often habitually. Therefore, the option that correctly explains the idiom is to drink excessive amounts of alcohol. The other options refer to spending money, cheating, or bodily functions and do not match the figurative sense.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that idioms are not taken literally. People do not literally drink water as fish do. Step 2: Remember common usage: He drinks like a fish usually describes someone who regularly drinks a lot of liquor. Step 3: Examine each option and look for one that mentions drinking and excess. Step 4: Option D, to drink excessive amounts of alcohol, clearly matches these ideas. Step 5: Confirm that options A, B, and C talk about very different behaviours, so they cannot be correct interpretations of the idiom.

Verification / Alternative check:
Consider example sentences: After he lost his job, he began to drink like a fish, or You will ruin your health if you keep drinking like a fish. If you replace drink like a fish with drink a lot of alcohol, the meaning stays the same. Trying alternatives such as spend a lot or cheat for a long time does not fit these sentences. This practical test confirms that the idiom is specifically about alcoholic drinking in large quantities.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
a person who spends a lot: This relates to money and spending habits, not to drinking habits. a person who keeps cheating for a very long time without getting noticed: This describes dishonesty over time and has no connection to drinking. a person who needs to relieve himself very frequently: This might result from drinking a lot, but the idiom does not focus on trips to the washroom; it focuses on the act of drinking itself.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners may be misled by the humorous image and guess that the idiom means to drink a lot of any liquid, but in standard usage it is especially tied to alcohol. Another pitfall is to be distracted by other intense behaviours mentioned in the options and forget that the idiom starts with the verb drink, which directly points to drinking as the key action. Keeping focus on the main verb in an idiom often helps in selecting the right meaning.

Final Answer:
To drink like a fish means to drink excessive amounts of alcohol.