Hold the fort means be responsible while someone else is away. This answer is correct because the expression has a fixed figurative meaning in English. In an SSC idiom question, students should match the whole phrase with its accepted meaning rather than translate each word separately.

• Classroom example: Hold the fort can refer to a situation involving be responsible while someone else is away.
• Story example: A writer may use Hold the fort when describing a situation involving be responsible while someone else is away.
• Exam example: When a sentence contains Hold the fort, choose the meaning “be responsible while someone else is away.”