Table of Contents
What does hung out to dry mean in slang?
Abandon someone
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 does hung out mean?
a. To spend one’s free time in a certain place. Often used with around or out: liked to hang out at the pool hall. b. Often used with around or out: spent the evening hanging at home; hung out for an hour before going to the play.
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.
Where did the term hang out come from?
Etymonline.com says “Teen slang sense of “spend time” first recorded 1951; hang around “idle, loiter” is from 1830, and hang out (v.) is from 1844.”
Where did the phrase left high and dry come from?
Stranded, as in They walked out on the party, leaving me high and dry. This expression originally alluded to a ship that had run aground or was in dry dock. Its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.
What does the phrase French leave mean?
a departure without ceremony, permission, or notice: Taking French leave, he evaded his creditors.
What does buy a lemon mean?
To buy a lemon means to purchase something that is worthless, broken, unsatisfactory, not of its purported value, or disappointing. Often, the word lemon is applied to a new car or other mechanical device that never works properly. A lemon is a small, oval, yellow citrus fruit that is tart.
What is the meaning of clutching at straws?
Also, clutch at straws. Make a desperate attempt at saving oneself. For example, He had lost the argument, but he kept grasping at straws, naming numerous previous cases that had little to do with this one. This metaphoric expression alludes to a drowning person trying to save himself by grabbing at flimsy reeds.