In the poem "In Trying Times," the speaker says that "in trying times, nothing is so useful in checking hatred or lies." What is the intended meaning of “checking” in the poem?

marking
ensuring
stopping
inspecting

stopping

The intended meaning of "checking" in the poem is ensuring. In the context of the poem, the speaker suggests that nothing is as effective in ensuring that hatred or lies do not prevail during challenging times.

In order to understand the intended meaning of "checking" in the poem "In Trying Times," we can look at the context and the way it is used in the sentence.

Here, the speaker states that "in trying times, nothing is so useful in checking hatred or lies." Based on this, we can infer that the word "checking" suggests an action that is done in order to prevent or control something negative, such as hatred or lies.

From the given options, the most appropriate meaning for "checking" in this context would be "stopping." Choosing this option aligns with the idea that "checking" is used to prevent or curb the growth or spread of negative things like hatred or lies.