Which meaning best fits the word 'mode'?

• A. a fashion
• B. a style of music
• C. a way of doing something or performing a task
• D. a device

Answer: (C)

Mode in this sense means a way of doing something or a method of performing a task. It captures the approach or manner—how something is done rather than what is being done or what it is used for. You’ll see it in phrases like the mode of operation or different modes of transportation, where the emphasis is on the method itself. The other senses—fashion or style of music—describe particular styles or trends, not a general method, and a device is an object rather than the way something is carried out. So the best fit is the idea of a method or manner of doing something.