hang out to dry

H

hang out to dry (idiom)
/hæŋ aʊt tə draɪ/

Meaning

• Leave someone to face punishment, criticism, or hardship unfairly, without offering any help.
• Abandon someone who is in difficulty.
• Leave someone in a vulnerable position without support.
• Expose someone to blame or criticism without protection.

Example Sentences

1. The manager denied any involvement and hung his assistant out to dry during the investigation.
2. After promising support, the committee left the organizer out to dry when issues arose.
3. The whistleblower was hung out to dry by colleagues who distanced themselves.
4. Despite team efforts, the leader hung them out to dry when the project failed.
5. The company left its spokesperson out to dry amid the public relations crisis.

Origin and History

The phrase “hang out to dry” originates from the literal practice of hanging wet laundry on a clothesline to dry. Before the advent of electric dryers, this method was universally employed to air-dry clothing. The imagery of garments left hanging, exposed to the elements, evokes a sense of vulnerability and abandonment. This visual serves as a foundation for the idiom’s figurative meaning of leaving someone unsupported in a difficult situation.

Figurative Usage in Sports

The earliest figurative uses of “hang out to dry” appeared in American sports journalism during the mid-1940s. For instance, a 1945 baseball game account mentioned, “It was the third straight victory for the A’s in this inclement village and the sixth straight time the Sox has been hung out to dry.” Here, the expression depicted a team’s repeated defeats, likening their situation to laundry left neglected on a line.

Alternative Origin Theories

While the laundry analogy is widely accepted, alternative theories exist regarding the idiom’s origin. One such theory suggests a connection to the practice of hanging animal carcasses to dry, preserving meat for future consumption. However, this explanation lacks substantial evidence and is less commonly endorsed.

Evolution into Common Parlance

By the 1960s, “hang out to dry” had transcended sports contexts, entering general American English usage to describe situations where individuals were abandoned or left to face challenges alone. The phrase encapsulates a sense of betrayal, highlighting the plight of those left exposed without support.

Earliest Recorded Usage

The idiom’s earliest recorded usage dates back to the mid-1940s. For example, a 1945 newspaper article reported, “It was the third straight victory for the A’s in this inclement village and the sixth straight time the Sox has been hung out to dry.” This indicates that the expression was in use during that period, primarily within sports journalism.

Synonyms

• abandon; forsake; desert
• left out in the cold
• leave high and dry
• leave in the lurch

Difficult