hang out to dry

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hang out to dry (third-person singular simple present hangs out to dry, present participle hanging out to dry, simple past and past participle hung out to dry)

1. (transitive, idiomatic) To abandon someone who is in need or in danger, especially a colleague or one dependent.

   Synonym: leave someone hanging

   • 2008 March 7, Joe Fiorito, “Our home-care system hangs families out to dry”, in Toronto Star‎, retrieved 23 August 2008:

     Without supplemental health insurance, we would have been hung out to dry.

   • 2011 January 25, Clare McNeil, “Don't hang young people out to dry”, in The Guardian‎, ISSN 0261-3077:

     It's hard to avoid the conclusion that young people are being hung out to dry.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see hang,‎ out,‎ dry.

• Often carries an element of betrayal of someone who might have expected protection or assistance.

• twist in the wind
• hang out