What does leave me out to dry mean?

Abandon someone to danger, as in The squadron withdrew and just let us hang out to dry. This expression alludes to hanging wet laundry on a clothesline. [ Slang; 1960s]

What is the idiom for hang out to dry?

(idiomatic) To abandon someone who is in need or in danger, especially a colleague or one dependent.

Where did the phrase hung out to dry come from?

Origin of Hung Out to Dry However, most sources believe it might have come from hanging clothes on a line to dry. This was around the time automatic washers and dryers were becoming popular with the public. Those without an automatic dryer would hang their clothes on a line outside to allow them to air dry.

How do you hang out to dry?

The phrase hang out to dry means to leave someone or something behind; to be abandoned, especially at a moment or time of difficulty. Example: Andrew wanted to move his stuff over to his new apartment, but he needed help.

Has been hung out to dry?

to allow someone to be punished, criticized, or made to suffer in a way that is unfair, without trying to help them: They felt they had been hung out to dry by their employers.

What does wash you out to dry mean?

Definition: To abandon someone who needs help. A variant of this phrase is left out to dry, as in, you left me out to dry.

What does left me high and dry mean?

Definition of high and dry 1 : being out of reach of the current or tide or out of the water. 2 : being in a helpless or abandoned position.

Should I hang my clothes to dry?

Hanging clothes to dry helps to avoid the heat damage that can be caused by traditional dryers. Delicate fabrics, such as those used in activewear, underwear, and jeans, can lose their shape and fit due to the harsh tumbling and heat of the dryer.

What does left hanging mean?

Also, leave hanging in the air or in midair. Keep undecided, uncertain, or in suspense. For example, Since we hadn’t found a big enough hall, we left the final date hanging, or She couldn’t figure out a good ending for the book, so her audience was left hanging in midair.

What does it mean to leave someone out to dry?

Definition: To abandon someone who needs help. A variant of this phrase is left out to dry, as in, you left me out to dry. This expression originated around the 1960s. The exact origin is unclear. However, most sources believe it might have come from hanging clothes on a line to dry.

Is it correct to say’Hang someone out to dry’?

It doesn’t seem ‘leave someone out to dry’ is an acceptable variant of ‘hang someone out to dry’. While the Google Ngram Viewer does not find any n-grams for the former version, it shows that the latter version of the idiom is in standard use.

Is’leave someone out to dry’an acceptable variant of’Hang someone out?

What does hang out to dry mean?

hang out to dry Abandon someone to danger, as in The squadron withdrew and just let us hang out to dry. This expression alludes to hanging wet laundry on a clothesline. [Slang; 1960s]