Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

leave someone high and dry

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.57 in modern English

Syllables: leave -some-one high- and dry
IPA

39

Scrabble Score

22

Letters

4

Syllables

14

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To abandon somebody; to stop providing assistance at a crucial moment.

Example Sentences

"He just walked out and left her high and dry with two kids and a mortgage."
"When the Met first reached Chesham, in 1889, the townsfolk thought the growth of their town would be inexorable as a result. [...] The cry went up 'At last, we are on the main line!' And so they were - for three years, until the Met decided to carry on to Amersham, leaving Chesham high and dry on a branch."

Inflected Forms

leaves someone high and dry (present, singular) leaving someone high and dry (participle, present) left someone high and dry (participle, past) left someone high and dry (past)

Phrases

leave someone in the lurch leave to one's own devices leave someone hanging hang out to dry

Frequently Paired Words

leave someone in the lurch leave to one's own devices leave someone hanging hang out to dry

Questions

What does leave someone high and dry mean?: To abandon somebody; to stop providing assistance at a crucial moment.

How to pronounce leave someone high and dry

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