This matter has been hanging fire for the last many months and must therefore be decided one way or the other.

Solution (By Examveda Team)

The question asks for the meaning of the idiom "hanging fire" in the given sentence.

The sentence is: "This matter has been hanging fire for the last many months and must therefore be decided one way or the other."

The idiom "hanging fire" means that something has been delayed, postponed, or left undecided for a long time. Think of an old firearm where the ignition powder might ignite, but the main charge takes a moment to fire; it "hangs" before it goes off, creating a delay.

In our sentence, it means the matter has not been resolved or decided for many months, and it's taking a long time to move forward or be completed.

Let's look at the options:

Option A: going on slowly
This option perfectly captures the idea of something being delayed or not being resolved quickly. If a matter is "going on slowly" for many months, it means it's still unresolved and taking a lot of time, which matches the meaning of "hanging fire". So, Option A is the correct answer.

Option B: hotly debated
While the matter might be debated, "hanging fire" specifically emphasizes the delay and indecision, not just the intensity of a discussion. A hot debate could still lead to a quick decision.

Option C: stuck up
This phrase means arrogant or conceited, which doesn't make sense when referring to a "matter."

Option D: ignored
While a delayed matter might feel ignored, the core meaning of "hanging fire" is about indecision or slow progress, rather than being deliberately disregarded. The emphasis is on the lack of resolution over a long period.

Therefore, the best fit for "hanging fire" in this context is going on slowly, implying a long period of delay and indecision.