High And Dry

B1 8+

Pronunciation: /haɪ ənd draɪ/

Definitions of high and dry

adjective describing a situation where someone is left in a difficult or helpless position

Example Sentences

A1 The boat was left high and dry on the shore.

A2 After missing the last bus, she was left high and dry with no way to get home.

B1 The company went bankrupt, leaving its employees high and dry without any warning.

B2 The sudden cancellation of the flight left passengers high and dry with no alternative transportation options.

C1 The government's failure to provide assistance left the community high and dry in the aftermath of the natural disaster.

C2 The lack of support from his friends and family left him high and dry in his time of need.

adverb in a manner that leaves someone in a difficult or helpless position

Example Sentences

A1 The boat was left high and dry on the shore.

A2 After missing the last bus, she was left high and dry in the middle of nowhere.

B1 The company's sudden closure left many employees high and dry without a job.

B2 The hikers were caught in a storm and left high and dry without any shelter.

C1 The government's decision to cut funding left the community high and dry without essential services.

C2 The unexpected bankruptcy of the company left investors high and dry with significant financial losses.

Examples of high and dry in a Sentence

formal The boat was left high and dry on the shore after the tide went out.

informal I was left high and dry when my friend didn't show up to give me a ride.

slang Don't worry, I won't leave you high and dry at the party.

figurative After losing his job, he felt high and dry with no source of income.

Grammatical Forms of high and dry

past tense

left high and dry

plural

high and drys

comparative

higher and drier

superlative

highest and driest

present tense

leaving high and dry

future tense

will leave high and dry

perfect tense

have left high and dry

continuous tense

is leaving high and dry

singular

high and dry

positive degree

high and dry

infinitive

to leave high and dry

gerund

leaving high and dry

participle

left high and dry

Origin and Evolution of high and dry

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The origin of the phrase 'high and dry' can be traced back to nautical terminology.
Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe ships stranded on land after the tide had gone out, the phrase 'high and dry' has evolved to signify being left in a difficult situation with no help or support.