leave someone high and dry

Definition

To abandon somebody; to stop providing assistance at a crucial moment.

Example Sentences

• "He just walked out and left her high and dry with two kids and a mortgage."
• "When the Met first reached Chesham, in 1889, the townsfolk thought the growth of their town would be inexorable as a result. [...] The cry went up 'At last, we are on the main line!' And so they were - for three years, until the Met decided to carry on to Amersham, leaving Chesham high and dry on a branch."