Direction : In the following questions, out of the given four alternatives,…

Explanation: “Excoriate” has two related senses: to strip or damage the surface of the skin, and to criticize someone severely.

Best match: flay — to strip the skin off or to attack verbally; this makes it the closest meaning to 'excoriate'.

Why the other choices are less suitable:

• cover — means to place something over or conceal; essentially the opposite of stripping or exposing.

• abrade — to wear away by friction; related to damaging a surface but usually gentler or more gradual than excoriate/flay.

• chafe — to rub and cause irritation; milder and focused on rubbing rather than active stripping or harsh verbal attack.

Example: The review flayed the author for the careless research and weak arguments.