37 Idioms for Leaving: Mastering Expressive Departures in English
Idioms are a vital part of the English language, adding color and nuance to everyday conversations. Understanding idioms related to leaving is essential for effective communication, allowing you to express departures in a more vivid and engaging way.
This article will explore a wide range of idioms used to describe leaving, providing definitions, examples, and practical exercises to help you master their usage. Whether you’re an English language learner or a native speaker looking to expand your vocabulary, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills to confidently use idioms for leaving in various contexts.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition of Idioms for Leaving
- Structural Breakdown
- Types and Categories of Idioms for Leaving
- Examples of Idioms for Leaving
- Usage Rules for Idioms for Leaving
- Common Mistakes When Using Idioms for Leaving
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics: Nuances and Regional Variations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Definition of Idioms for Leaving
Idioms are expressions whose meanings cannot be understood simply by adding up the literal meanings of the individual words. Instead, they operate on a figurative level, conveying a specific concept or emotion in a concise and often colorful manner.
Idioms for leaving specifically refer to phrases that describe the act of departing, exiting, or going away from a place or situation. These idioms can range from formal to informal, and their usage often depends on the context and the relationship between the speakers.
Idioms related to leaving can be classified based on their function and the specific nuance they convey. They can describe the speed of departure (e.g.,take off like a shot), the reason for leaving (e.g.,vote with your feet), or the emotional state associated with the departure (e.g.,leave someone in the lurch).
Understanding these nuances is crucial for effective communication and avoiding misinterpretations.
Structural Breakdown
The structure of idioms for leaving varies widely, reflecting the diverse nature of idiomatic expressions. Some idioms are phrasal verbs, consisting of a verb and a particle (e.g.,walk out on).
Others are prepositional phrases (e.g.,off to the races), while some are complete clauses or sentences (e.g.,hit the road). Understanding the grammatical structure of these idioms can help you use them correctly in sentences.
Many idioms for leaving involve metaphors or similes, drawing comparisons between the act of leaving and other concepts. For example, the idiom “cut and run” uses the imagery of quickly severing ties and fleeing a situation.
Recognizing these underlying metaphors can aid in understanding and remembering the meaning of the idiom.
Types and Categories of Idioms for Leaving
Idioms for leaving can be categorized based on the specific type of departure they describe. Here are some common categories:
Idioms for Abrupt Departures
These idioms describe leaving suddenly and often unexpectedly. They convey a sense of urgency or haste.
Idioms for Gradual Departures
These idioms describe leaving slowly or over a period of time. They suggest a more deliberate and planned departure.
Idioms for Secret Departures
These idioms describe leaving without being noticed or revealing one’s intentions. They often imply a desire to avoid confrontation or detection.
Idioms for Permanent Departures
These idioms describe leaving with no intention of returning. They signify a complete and irreversible separation.
Idioms for Temporary Departures
These idioms describe leaving for a short period, with the intention of returning. They indicate a brief absence.
Idioms for Unwelcomed Departures
These idioms describe someone being forced to leave against their will or someone being unwelcome and thus needs to leave.
Examples of Idioms for Leaving
The following tables provide examples of idioms for leaving, categorized by the type of departure they describe. Each example includes the idiom, its meaning, and a sample sentence.
Table 1: Idioms for Abrupt Departures
This table showcases idioms that describe sudden and often unexpected departures, often conveying a sense of urgency or haste.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Take off like a shot | Leave very quickly | When the alarm went off, he took off like a shot. |
| Bolt | Run away suddenly | The horse bolted when it heard the loud noise. |
| Cut and run | Abandon a situation quickly to avoid problems | Seeing the police arrive, the thieves decided to cut and run. |
| Make a break for it | Attempt to escape | The prisoner made a break for it during the exercise period. |
| Beat a hasty retreat | Leave quickly to avoid danger or embarrassment | When the argument escalated, he decided to beat a hasty retreat. |
| Fly the coop | Escape or leave a confined place | She was tired of her job and wanted to fly the coop. |
| Jump ship | Abandon a project or organization | When the company started to fail, many employees jumped ship. |
| Take French leave | Leave without permission or notice | He took French leave and didn’t come back to work after lunch. |
| Up and leave | Leave suddenly and unexpectedly | She just up and left one day, without saying goodbye. |
| Hit the road | Begin a journey or leave | It’s getting late, we should hit the road. |
| Skedaddle | Leave quickly and hurriedly | The children skedaddled when they heard their mother calling. |
| Dart out | Leave suddenly and quickly | He darted out of the room when he heard the phone ring. |
| Make off | Leave quickly, often with something stolen | The burglars made off with the jewelry. |
| Scram | Leave immediately (often as an order) | “Scram!” he shouted at the intruders. |
| Clear out | Leave a place completely | We need to clear out before the storm hits. |
| Run for it | Flee from danger or trouble | When the fire started, everyone ran for it. |
| Split | Leave quickly and informally | “Let’s split,” he said, “I’m bored.” |
| Bug out | Leave quickly and urgently | We need to bug out of here before the zombies arrive. |
| Decamp | Leave a place suddenly and secretly | The campers decamped in the middle of the night. |
| Make tracks | Leave quickly | We should make tracks if we want to catch the train. |
| Head for the hills | Leave to avoid trouble or danger | When the scandal broke, he headed for the hills. |
| Take to one’s heels | Run away quickly | The thief took to his heels when he saw the police. |
| Get the hell out of dodge | Leave a place quickly, often due to trouble | We need to get the hell out of dodge before things get worse. |
| High-tail it | Leave quickly | We had to high-tail it out of there when the fight started. |
Table 2: Idioms for Gradual Departures
This table presents idioms that describe departures that happen slowly or over a period of time, suggesting a more deliberate and planned exit.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Fade away | Gradually disappear or lose importance | His enthusiasm for the project began to fade away over time. |
| Drift away | Gradually move away or lose contact | We used to be close friends, but we slowly drifted away. |
| Bow out | Withdraw from a competition or activity | After many years of service, he decided to bow out gracefully. |
| Step down | Resign from a position | The CEO decided to step down due to health reasons. |
| Ease out | Gradually remove someone from a position | The company was trying to ease out the older employees. |
| Phase out | Gradually discontinue something | The government plans to phase out the use of fossil fuels. |
| Wind down | Gradually reduce activity before stopping completely | The company is winding down its operations in that region. |
| Retire | Leave one’s job and cease to work | After 40 years of teaching, she decided to retire. |
| Hang up one’s boots | Retire from a profession, especially sports | The football player decided to hang up his boots at the end of the season. |
| Take one’s leave | Formally depart | After the meeting, he took his leave and went home. |
| Slowly but surely | Gradually and steadily | Slowly but surely, he transitioned out of his old role. |
| Draw to a close | Gradually come to an end | As the evening drew to a close, people began to leave. |
| Settle into retirement | Gradually adjust to retired life | It took him a while to settle into retirement, but now he loves it. |
| Quietly exit | Leave without causing attention | She quietly exited the room, not wanting to disturb anyone. |
| Transition out | Gradually move out of a role or position | He is transitioning out of his management role over the next few months. |
| Leave by degrees | Leave in stages | The company decided to leave by degrees, closing down departments one by one. |
| Step aside | Leave a position for someone else | He decided to step aside and let a younger person take over. |
| Slide out | Leave a situation or place unnoticed | She managed to slide out of the party without anyone seeing her. |
| Wane | Decrease in vigor, power, or extent; become weaker | His influence in the company began to wane as he approached retirement. |
| Resign oneself | Accept that one must leave, often unwillingly | He resigned himself to leaving the company after the merger. |
| Take a backseat | Reduce one’s involvement or influence | As he got older, he decided to take a backseat in the business. |
| Edge out | Gradually force someone out of a position | She was edged out of her job by a younger colleague. |
| Go into semi-retirement | Reduce work hours but not stop completely | He decided to go into semi-retirement to spend more time with his family. |
Table 3: Idioms for Secret Departures
This table provides idioms that describe leaving without being noticed or revealing one’s intentions, often implying a desire to avoid confrontation or detection.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Slip away | Leave quietly and unnoticed | She managed to slip away from the party without anyone noticing. |
| Sneak off | Leave secretly and quietly | The children tried to sneak off to the park without their parents knowing. |
| Steal away | Leave secretly and quickly | They stole away in the night to avoid being seen. |
| Disappear into thin air | Vanish without a trace | The magician seemed to disappear into thin air. |
| Vanish | Disappear suddenly and completely | The suspect vanished before the police arrived. |
| Go AWOL (Absent Without Leave) | Leave without permission, especially in the military | The soldier went AWOL after becoming disillusioned with the war. |
| Make oneself scarce | Leave to avoid being found or bothered | When the boss was in a bad mood, he tried to make himself scarce. |
| Go underground | Go into hiding or disappear from public view | After the scandal, he decided to go underground. |
| Fade into the woodwork | Become inconspicuous and unnoticed | She tried to fade into the woodwork to avoid being called on. |
| Hide away | Go to a place where one cannot be easily found | After the incident, he hid away in a remote cabin. |
| Secretly depart | Leave without anyone knowing | He secretly departed in the early hours of the morning. |
| Quietly exit | Leave without making a fuss | They quietly exited the building to avoid attention. |
| Evaporate | Disappear suddenly and completely | The crowd seemed to evaporate after the concert ended. |
| Melt away | Disappear gradually and unnoticed | The tension in the room seemed to melt away as the news broke. |
| Ghost | Suddenly end all contact with someone | She ghosted him after the first date. |
| Slip out | Leave a place or situation quietly and quickly | He managed to slip out of the meeting before it ended. |
| Go missing | Disappear and cannot be found | The hiker went missing in the mountains. |
| Lurk away | Leave stealthily and unnoticed | He lurked away from the crowd, not wanting to be seen. |
| Disappear without a trace | Vanish completely, leaving no evidence behind | The plane disappeared without a trace. |
Table 4: Idioms for Permanent Departures
This table presents idioms that describe leaving with no intention of returning, signifying a complete and irreversible separation.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Leave for good | Leave permanently | She decided to leave for good and never return to her hometown. |
| Say goodbye | Bid farewell, often with the implication of a long separation | It was hard to say goodbye to her as she moved to another country. |
| Burn one’s bridges | Do something that makes it impossible to return | He burned his bridges when he publicly criticized his former employer. |
| Move on | Leave a situation and begin a new chapter | After the divorce, she decided to move on with her life. |
| Turn one’s back on | Reject or abandon someone or something | He turned his back on his family when he joined the cult. |
| Cut ties | End a relationship or association | She decided to cut ties with her toxic friends. |
| Close the door on | End a possibility or relationship | He decided to close the door on his acting career. |
| Wash one’s hands of | Refuse to take responsibility for something | The company washed its hands of the environmental damage. |
| Leave in the dust | Surpass or abandon someone | The new technology left the old methods in the dust. |
| Break away | Separate or escape from something | The country broke away from the empire. |
| Go separate ways | End a relationship and follow different paths | After college, they decided to go separate ways. |
| Defect | Abandon one’s country or cause | The spy decided to defect to the other side. |
| Forsake | Abandon or renounce | He forsake his family to pursue his dreams. |
| Leave behind | Abandon or forget | She decided to leave behind her old life and start anew. |
| Sever ties | Cut off connections | He severed ties with his former business partners. |
| Disown | Refuse to acknowledge or accept as one’s own | The parents disowned their son after he committed the crime. |
| Renounce | Formally reject or disown | He renounced his citizenship and moved to another country. |
| Abandon ship | Leave a failing venture or situation | When the project started to fail, many people abandoned ship. |
Table 5: Idioms for Temporary Departures
This table presents idioms that describe leaving for a short period, with the intention of returning, indicating a brief absence.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Be back in a jiffy | Return very quickly | “I’ll be back in a jiffy,” she said as she ran to the store. |
| Be back in a flash | Return very quickly | He said he’d be back in a flash, but it took him an hour. |
| Step out for a moment | Leave briefly | “I need to step out for a moment,” he said, excusing himself from the meeting. |
| Take a break | Pause from an activity for a short time | “Let’s take a break and grab some coffee,” she suggested. |
| Pop out | Go out briefly | “I’m just going to pop out to the shops,” he said. |
| Be right back | Return very soon | “I’ll be right back,” she promised as she left the room. |
| Go for a spell | Leave for a short period | He’s gone for a spell, but he’ll be back soon. |
| Take five | Take a five-minute break | “Let’s take five before we start the next task,” the supervisor said. |
| Be away for a bit | Be absent for a short time | “I’ll be away for a bit, but I’ll check my emails,” he informed his colleagues. |
| Go on hiatus | Take a temporary break from an activity or job | The band decided to go on hiatus to work on solo projects. |
| Take a sabbatical | Take a period of leave from work, typically for study or travel | She decided to take a sabbatical to travel the world. |
| Go on leave | Take a period of absence from work | He is going on leave for two weeks to visit his family. |
| Be back shortly | Return soon | “I’ll be back shortly,” the doctor said to the patient. |
| Take a breather | Take a short rest | Let’s take a breather before we continue with the heavy lifting. |
| Step aside temporarily | Leave a position for a short period | He stepped aside temporarily while he recovered from his illness. |
| Go off duty | Stop working for a period of time | The police officer went off duty at 6 pm. |
| Take a recess | Take a short break during a formal meeting or trial | The court will take a recess for fifteen minutes. |
Table 6: Idioms for Unwelcomed Departures
This table provides idioms for someone being forced to leave against their will or someone being unwelcome and thus needs to leave.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Get the boot | Be fired or dismissed | He got the boot after being caught stealing from the company. |
| Be given the sack | Be fired from a job | She was given the sack for her poor performance. |
| Be shown the door | Be dismissed or asked to leave | He was shown the door after arguing with the manager. |
| Be kicked to the curb | Be rejected or dismissed | After the scandal, he was kicked to the curb by his political party. |
| Be given one’s marching orders | Be told to leave, often abruptly | He was given his marching orders and told to pack his things. |
| Be ousted from | Be removed from a position of power | He was ousted from his role as chairman after the vote. |
| Be run out of town | Be forced to leave a place because of disapproval | The con artist was run out of town by the angry residents. |
| Be given the heave-ho | Be dismissed or rejected | He was given the heave-ho after failing to meet his sales targets. |
| Be thrown out | Be forcibly removed from a place | He was thrown out of the bar for being too drunk. |
| Be evicted | Be legally forced to leave a property | They were evicted from their apartment for not paying rent. |
| Asked to leave | Politely requested to depart | He was asked to leave the premises after causing a disturbance. |
| Given the old heave-ho | Dismissed or rejected abruptly | She was given the old heave-ho when the new boss took over. |
| Be sent packing | Be told to leave immediately | He was sent packing after his lies were discovered. |
| Get the push | Be dismissed from a job | She got the push after a series of mistakes. |
| Be given the bullet | Be fired from a job | He was given the bullet due to budget cuts. |
Usage Rules for Idioms for Leaving
Using idioms correctly requires attention to context, tone, and audience. Here are some general rules to follow:
- Consider the context: Choose an idiom that is appropriate for the situation. For example, “take French leave” is suitable for informal situations, while “take one’s leave” is more formal.
- Be aware of the tone: Some idioms are humorous or sarcastic, while others are serious. Use idioms that match the overall tone of your communication.
- Know your audience: Avoid using idioms that your audience may not understand, especially if they are not native English speakers.
- Use idioms sparingly: Overusing idioms can make your speech sound unnatural or forced.
- Pay attention to grammar: Ensure that the idiom fits grammatically within the sentence. For example, use the correct verb tense and subject-verb agreement.
Common Mistakes When Using Idioms for Leaving
One common mistake is using idioms in the wrong context. For example, using “take French leave” in a formal business setting would be inappropriate.
Another common mistake is misinterpreting the meaning of an idiom. It’s important to understand the figurative meaning of the entire phrase, not just the literal meanings of the individual words.
Finally, some learners make grammatical errors when using idioms. For example, they may use the wrong verb tense or subject-verb agreement.
Here are some examples of common mistakes:
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| He taked off like a shot. | He took off like a shot. | The correct past tense of “take” is “took.” |
| She is going to cut and running. | She is going to cut and run. | The idiom is “cut and run,” not “cut and running.” |
| They are burning his bridges. | He is burning his bridges. | The subject-verb agreement is incorrect. It should be “he” and “is.” |
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding of idioms for leaving with these practice exercises.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the appropriate idiom from the list below.
(take off like a shot, cut and run, fade away, slip away, leave for good)
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. When the police arrived, the suspects decided to _____. | cut and run |
| 2. After the argument, she decided to _____ and never speak to him again. | leave for good |
| 3. As the years passed, their friendship began to _____. | fade away |
| 4. He saw his chance and decided to _____ unnoticed. | slip away |
| 5. When the bell rang, the students _____. | take off like a shot |
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct idiom to complete each sentence.
| Question | Options | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1. After the scandal, he decided to _____. | (a) hit the road (b) go underground (c) jump ship | (b) go underground |
| 2. The company is planning to _____ the old technology. | (a) phase out (b) take French leave (c) bolt | (a) phase out |
| 3. When the project started to fail, many people _____. | (a) fade away (b) abandon ship (c) take a break | (b) abandon ship |
| 4. He _____ from the party without saying goodbye. | (a) slipped away (b) cut and run (c) hit the road | (a) slipped away |
| 5. She _____ after working there for 25 years. | (a) retired (b) cut ties (c) split | (a) retired |
| 6. He was _____ after being caught stealing. | (a) given the boot (b) drifted away (c) stept down | (a) given the boot |
| 7. They decided to _____ after the divorce. | (a) go separate ways (b) take off like a shot (c) vanish | (a) go separate ways |
| 8. I’ll _____ and get some milk. | (a) vanish (b) pop out (c) fade away | (b) pop out |
| 9. Let’s _____ before the boss sees us. | (a) step out (b) scram (c) take five | (b) scram |
| 10. She _____ to pursue her dreams. | (a) wash her hands of (b) forsook (c) stepped down | (b) forsook |
Advanced Topics: Nuances and Regional Variations
The use of idioms can vary significantly based on region and social context. Some idioms may be more common in certain countries or communities, while others may have different meanings or connotations depending on the region.
For example, some idioms might be more frequently used in British English compared to American English. Similarly, certain idioms might be common in specific subcultures or professional fields.
Understanding these nuances requires exposure to diverse sources of English, such as literature, movies, and conversations with native speakers from different regions. Paying attention to the context in
which idioms are used and how they are received by different audiences can help you develop a more nuanced understanding of their usage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Mastering idioms for leaving can significantly enhance your English communication skills, allowing you to express departures in a more vivid and nuanced way. By understanding the different types and categories of idioms, following the usage rules, and practicing regularly, you can confidently incorporate these expressions into your everyday conversations and writing.
Keep exploring, learning, and refining your knowledge of idioms to become a more effective and expressive English speaker.
