high and dry: meaning & examples

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Language: English

Meanings:

  • 1.

    British Englishmaritime Englishliteralnauticalhistorical
    • Left above the reach of the water or tide; stranded on the shore or placed out of the water for repair.

    Examples

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    • The boat was left high and dry on the shore during low tide, waiting for the water to return.

      The boat was stranded on the shore during low tide, waiting for the water to return.

    • They took the old ship out of the water and left it high and dry for repairs.

      They removed the old ship from the water and placed it above the waterline for repairs.

    • After the flood receded, several fishing boats were left high and dry far from the riverbank.

      After the flood receded, several fishing boats were stranded on dry land far from the riverbank.

    • The dock workers pulled the damaged yacht high and dry so the mechanics could inspect it.

      The dock workers removed the damaged yacht from the water for inspection by the mechanics.

  • 2.

    British EnglishAmerican Englishglobalidiomaticneutralinformal
    • Abandoned, left helpless, or left without support or the means to proceed.

    Examples

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    • When the company went bankrupt, many employees were left high and dry without severance pay.

      When the company went bankrupt, many employees were abandoned and left without support.

    • He felt high and dry after his friends canceled plans and he was stuck at home alone.

      He felt abandoned and helpless after his friends canceled plans and he was stuck at home alone.

    • The charity was left high and dry when funding was suddenly withdrawn by the government.

      The charity was left without support when funding was suddenly withdrawn by the government.

  • 3.

    British Englishderogatoryhistorical
    • Referring disparagingly to the High Church party or its perceived austerity and formality in worship.

    Examples

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    • The sermon was criticized as being too high and dry, lacking warmth and approachability.

      The sermon was criticized as being austere and formal, lacking warmth and approachability.

    • Some congregants prefer the high and dry style of worship, valuing tradition and strict formality.

      Some congregants prefer the austere and formal style of worship, valuing tradition and strict formality.

    • The high and dry faction within the church insisted on maintaining strict liturgical customs.

      The austere and formal faction within the church insisted on maintaining strict liturgical customs.

  • 4.

    United StatescolloquialAmerican Englishslang
    • Describing a sandwich served without condiments or sauces.

    Examples

    Beta

    • I ordered my sandwich high and dry, without any mayo or mustard on it.

      I ordered my sandwich without any condiments or sauces on it.

    • She prefers her burger high and dry, so she always asks for no ketchup or relish.

      She prefers her burger without any condiments or sauces, so she always asks for no ketchup or relish.

    • The waiter brought the sandwich high and dry, forgetting to add the requested sauces.

      The waiter brought the sandwich without the requested condiments or sauces.

    • He doesn't like his hot dogs with anything on them and always eats them high and dry.

      He doesn't like his hot dogs with condiments and always eats them without any sauces.

Examples:

  • EN: He leaves us high and dry but he's over the moon.
    ES: Nos ha dejado a ambos Sin embargo está encantado.
  • EN: -Su re, I'm not the one all high and dry.
    ES: -Claro, yo no soy el que está muerto de sed.
  • EN: I couldn't leave you high and dry could I.
    ES: No podía dejarte sola y sin dinero, ¿no?
  • EN: ♪ Very glad I stayed sitting high and dry, looking on the love parade gaily going by. ♪
    ES: ♪ Muy contento de haberme ♪ ♪ quedado sentado con tranquilidad ♪
  • EN: But all the same, Topper, you didn't ought to leave us high and dry like that.
    ES: Pero es verdad, Topper, no deberías dejarnos en ascuas.
  • EN: Mary, he's on the wagon, high and dry.
    ES: Mary, está sobrio, lo ha dejado.
  • EN: I'm gonna run her high and dry on the beach where nobody will be able to find her excepting honest people.
    ES: Pienso esconderlo donde nadie pueda encontrarlo, salvo gente honrada.
  • EN: Wish people wouldn't walk out like that, leave me high and dry,
    ES: Ojalá la gente no se fuera así, dejándome aquí plantada.
  • EN: The show is closing, you're gonna be left high and dry and you came to me for a loan. That's fair enough, isn't it?
    ES: Se va a quedar sin trabajo y necesita un préstamo, ¿no?
  • EN: ♪ Headin' straight for heaven ♪ ♪ Leaving worry high and dry ♪
    ES: ♪ Me dirigo directamente al paraiso dejando toda preocupación ♪
  • EN: ♪ Headin' straight for heaven leavin' worry high and dry ♪
    ES: ♪ Dirigiéndose directamente al paraiso dejando toda preocupación ♪
  • EN: ♪ Heading straight for heaven, leaving trouble high and dry ♪
    ES: ♪ Dirigiéndonos directamente al cielo, dejando todo problema ♪
  • EN: So when we gets back, she was high and dry.
    ES: Así que cuando volvimos estaba embarrancada.
  • EN: She'd have you forever on her beastly astral plane, and I'd be left high and dry.
    ES: Ella te tendría para siempre en su plano astral... y yo me quedaría plantada.
  • EN: But you left me high and dry.
    ES: Pero me has dejado a la deriva.
  • EN: He leaves us high and dry but he's over the moon.
    ES: Nos ha dejado a ambos Sin embargo está encantado.
  • EN: I couldn't leave you high and dry could I.
    ES: No podía dejarte sola y sin dinero, ¿no?
  • EN: -Su re, I'm not the one all high and dry.
    ES: -Claro, yo no soy el que está muerto de sed.
  • EN: ♪ Very glad I stayed sitting high and dry, looking on the love parade gaily going by. ♪
    ES: ♪ Muy contento de haberme ♪ ♪ quedado sentado con tranquilidad ♪
  • EN: But all the same, Topper, you didn't ought to leave us high and dry like that.
    ES: Pero es verdad, Topper, no deberías dejarnos en ascuas.
  • EN: Mary, he's on the wagon, high and dry.
    ES: Mary, está sobrio, lo ha dejado.
  • EN: I'm gonna run her high and dry on the beach where nobody will be able to find her excepting honest people.
    ES: Pienso esconderlo donde nadie pueda encontrarlo, salvo gente honrada.
  • EN: Wish people wouldn't walk out like that, leave me high and dry,
    ES: Ojalá la gente no se fuera así, dejándome aquí plantada.
  • EN: The show is closing, you're gonna be left high and dry and you came to me for a loan. That's fair enough, isn't it?
    ES: Se va a quedar sin trabajo y necesita un préstamo, ¿no?
  • EN: ♪ Headin' straight for heaven ♪ ♪ Leaving worry high and dry ♪
    ES: ♪ Me dirigo directamente al paraiso dejando toda preocupación ♪
  • EN: ♪ Headin' straight for heaven leavin' worry high and dry ♪
    ES: ♪ Dirigiéndose directamente al paraiso dejando toda preocupación ♪
  • EN: ♪ Heading straight for heaven, leaving trouble high and dry ♪
    ES: ♪ Dirigiéndonos directamente al cielo, dejando todo problema ♪
  • EN: So when we gets back, she was high and dry.
    ES: Así que cuando volvimos estaba embarrancada.
  • EN: She'd have you forever on her beastly astral plane, and I'd be left high and dry.
    ES: Ella te tendría para siempre en su plano astral... y yo me quedaría plantada.
  • EN: But you left me high and dry.
    ES: Pero me has dejado a la deriva.

Related Idioms

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Sourced from Wiktionary

Source: Wiktionary

high and dry: Meaning, Examples & Usage (English) | Idiomator