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3. hang out to dry

hang out to dry

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hang someone out to dry

Fig. to defeat or punish someone. The boss was really angry at Billie. He yelled at him and hung him out to dry.

See also: dry, hang, out

hang somebody out to dry

to not support or help someone After losing the election, the party is going to hang him out to dry.

Etymology: based on the practice of hanging an animal that has been killed in a tree so its meat can dry

See also: dry, hang, out

hang somebody out to dry

to get someone into trouble, especially by making them take the blame for a bad situation When the department got into difficulties, his bosses simply hung him out to dry.

See also: dry, hang, out

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]

See also: dry, hang, out