Hang Someone Out To Dry

C1 16+

Pronunciation: /hæŋ ˈsʌmwʌn aʊt tuː draɪ/

Definitions of hang someone out to dry

noun A phrase used to describe the act of abandoning or betraying someone

Example Sentences

A1 I don't understand what it means to hang someone out to dry.

A2 She felt betrayed when her friend hung her out to dry in front of everyone.

B1 The manager decided to hang someone out to dry for the mistake made by the team.

B2 The politician tried to hang his opponent out to dry by revealing damaging information about him.

C1 The company was accused of hanging their employees out to dry during the economic crisis.

C2 The journalist exposed the corruption scandal, hanging several high-ranking officials out to dry.

verb To leave someone in a difficult situation without any help or support

Example Sentences

A1 She hung her wet clothes out to dry in the sun.

A2 He hung the painting out to dry after applying a fresh coat of paint.

B1 The manager decided to hang the employee out to dry by blaming them for the mistake.

B2 The politician tried to hang his opponent out to dry by revealing their scandalous past.

C1 The CEO was known for hanging employees out to dry to protect his own reputation.

C2 The journalist decided not to hang the source out to dry by keeping their identity confidential.

Examples of hang someone out to dry in a Sentence

formal The company decided to hang someone out to dry after discovering evidence of embezzlement.

informal I can't believe they're going to hang someone out to dry for a mistake that wasn't entirely their fault.

slang They really threw him under the bus and hung him out to dry in front of everyone.

figurative When the team lost the game, the coach chose to hang someone out to dry by blaming them for the defeat.

Grammatical Forms of hang someone out to dry

past tense

hung

plural

hangs

comparative

more hung out to dry

superlative

most hung out to dry

present tense

hangs

future tense

will hang out to dry

perfect tense

has hung out to dry

continuous tense

is hanging out to dry

singular

hang

positive degree

hung out to dry

infinitive

to hang out to dry

gerund

hanging out to dry

participle

hung out to dry

Origin and Evolution of hang someone out to dry

First Known Use: 1940 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The origin of the phrase 'hang someone out to dry' likely comes from the literal act of hanging wet clothes out to dry, leaving them exposed and vulnerable.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in a literal sense, the phrase has evolved to mean leaving someone in a difficult or vulnerable position without support or assistance.