leave someone high and dry: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  General EnglishinformalMachine
  • to abandon someone in a difficult, helpless, or stranded situation without support or assistance.

  Examples

  Beta

  • When the storm hit, the captain left the crew high and dry, abandoning them without any support.

    When the storm hit, the captain abandoned the crew in a difficult situation without any support.

  • She felt left high and dry when her colleagues didn’t show up to help with the presentation.

    She felt abandoned in a helpless situation when her colleagues didn’t show up to help with the presentation.

  • Don’t leave me high and dry during the crisis; we need to work together to solve this.

    Don’t abandon me in a difficult situation during the crisis; we need to work together to solve this.

• 2.

  General EnglishinformalMachine
  • to fail to fulfil a promise or obligation, leaving another person to cope alone.

  Examples

  Beta

  • He promised to assist with the project but left the team high and dry when he quit unexpectedly.

    He promised to assist with the project but failed to fulfill his obligation, leaving the team to cope alone.

  • The landlord left the tenants high and dry by not repairing the heating during the winter.

    The landlord failed to fulfill his obligation by not repairing the heating, leaving the tenants to cope alone.

  • I don’t want to leave you high and dry, so I’ll make sure to finish my part on time.

    I don’t want to fail to fulfill my obligation, so I’ll make sure to finish my part on time.