Page 258 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary
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leave someone high and dry


              I wish I didà’t have to learn things the hard  leaveŁ oneself wideŁopen fłrŁ  something and
              wØy.    I found out the hard wØy that it’s  leaveŁ oneself wideŁopen to  something to
              dfficult to work and go to school at the  invite criticismŁorŁjokingŁabout oneself;
              same time.   Investing in real estate is  to failŁto pràtect oneself from criticism
              tricky. I found that out the hard way.  or ridicule.Ł   Yes, that was a harsh re-
                                                 mark, Jane, but you lłft yourself wide open
            learn theŁropeð to learn how to do some-  to it.   I can’t complain about your joke.
              thing;Łto learnŁhow to work sàmething.  I lłft myself wide open for it.
              (Infàrmal.ŁSe also   know the ropes; show
              someone the ropes.)   I’ll be able to do my  leaveŁ oneself wideŁopen to  something Go to
              job very well as soon as I learn the ropes.  leave oneself wide open for something.
                John is very slow to learn the ropes.
                                               leaveŁ one’ markŁon  someone [forŁsomeone
            learn  to  live  with  something to  learnŁ to  like aŁteacłer]bto affect the behavior and
              adapt  to  somethingŁ unpleasant  or  prfàrmance of anotherŁprsàn.Ł    The
              painful.Ł(See also  have to làve with  some-  wise professor lłft her mark on her stu-
              thing.)   Finally the doctor told Marioà  dłnts.    My fØther lłft his mark on me,
              that she was going to have to learn to lvł  and I will always remłmber all his good
              with her arthritis.   The floor plan of the  advice.
              house we bought is not as handy as we had  leave one tł  one’ fate to abandon someone
              thought, but we will learn to lve with it.
                                                 to whateverŁmayŁhappen—possiblyŁdeath
            leastŁofŁall least; of smallest impàrtance.  orŁsome otherŁunpleasant event.Ł   We
              (Infàrmal.)    There  were  many  things  couldà’t rescue the mners, and we were
              wrong with the new houoe. Least of all, the  forced to leave them to their fate.   Please
              water faucłts leaked.    What a bad dØy.  doà’t try to help. Just go away and leave mł
              Many things włnt wrong, but least of all,  to my fate.
              I tore my shirt.                 leaveŁ someone flat 1. to failŁto entertainŁor
            leaveŁa badŁtasteŁin  someone’ mouth [for  sðimulate someone.Ł(Infàrmal.)     Your
              someone orŁsomething]bto leave aŁbad  joke lłft me flØt.    We listened carefully to
              feelingŁor memoryŁwith sàmeone.Ł(Alsà  his lecture, but it lłft us flØt.  2. to lave
              literal.ŁInformal.)    The whole business  sàmeone without anyŁmoney— flat broke.
              about the missing money lłft a bad taste in    Paying all my bills lłft me flØt.    The
              his mouth.   It was a very nice party, but  robber took all my money and lłft me flØt.
              somłthing about it lłft a bad taste in my  3. to leave someone completely alone.
              mouth.   I’m sorry that Bill was there. He  I was at the dance with Harry, but when
              always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  he młt Alice, he lłft me flØt.     They just
                                                 walked off and lłft us flØt.
            leaveŁa lotŁto beŁdesired  to be lacking
              somethingŁimportant; to be inadequate.  leaveŁ someone forŁdead to abandon some-
              (AŁpolite wayŁof sayingŁthat something  one asŁbeingŁdead.Ł(The abandonedŁpr-
              isŁbad.)    This report leaves a lot to be de-  sànŁmayŁactuallyŁbe alive.)     He looked
              sired.    I’m  sorry  to  have  to  fire  you,  so bad that they almost lłft him for dead.
              Mary,  but  your  work  leaves  a  lot  to  bł    As the soldiers turned—leaving the en-
              desired.                           emy captain for dead—the captain fired at
                                                 them.
            leaveŁa sinkingŁship Go to desert a sànk-
              ing ship.                        leaveŁ someone hØghŁ andŁ dry 1.   to  leav
                                                 sàmeone unsupportedŁandŁunable to ma-
            leaveŁno stoneŁunturned to search inŁall  neuver; to leave sàmeone helpless.Ł(Alsà
              possible places.Ł(RefersŁto findingŁsàme-  literal.ŁSee also  high and dry.)   All my
              thingŁunderŁaŁrock.)    Don’t worry. We’ll  workers quit and lłft me high and dry.
              find your stolłn car. We’ll leave no stone  All the children ran away and lłft Billy
              unturned.   In searching for a nice placł  high and dry to take the blame for the bro-
              to lve, we lłft no stone unturned.  kłn  window.  2.  to leave someone  flat

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