Introduction / Context:
“At large” usually means “free; not confined.” The collocation “gentleman at large” in older or formal usage describes a man of means or leisure who is not engaged in any regular occupation. After selling a business, a person may be financially free and without a settled job—hence the idiomatic label.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- He has sold his factory (no ongoing enterprise).
- Expression: “gentleman at large.”
- We must select the meaning tied to lack of regular occupation.
Concept / Approach:
The key idea is being unoccupied in a professional sense. While comfort or esteem may accompany the situation, they are not the idiom’s meaning. The best paraphrase is “has no serious occupation.” Other options conflate social respect or comfort with employment status, which the sentence does not assert.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Parse “at large” as “not bound by a job” in this collocation.2) Connect with context: business sold → currently unoccupied.3) Choose the option stating lack of serious occupation.4) Reject prestige/comfort interpretations not guaranteed by the phrase.
Verification / Alternative check:
Paraphrase: “He is now without any regular occupation.” This reflects the idiom precisely.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Is living comfortably: Possible effect, not the meaning.Is respected / held in high esteem: Social status, not occupational state.
Common Pitfalls:
Equating “gentleman” with prestige; here it marks a person of leisure rather than a title of honor.
Final Answer:
Has no serious occupation
Discussion & Comments