turn tail

Definitions

1. 1

   To turn away from someone or something, in preparation for running away

   To turn away from someone or something, in preparation for running away; to reverse direction; to leave or flee.

   • A box-lobby lion or a Regent-street animal . . . will never bite, and, if you offer to attack him manfully, will fairly turn tail and sneak off.
   • [H]e stormed at me all through the lessons in a very violent manner of scolding, [...] I was often tempted to turn tail, but held my ground for all that, and got some profit of my lessons; [...]
   • Morning found us still vainly toiling through the passage. At last, in despair, we turned tail, ran out to sea, and sailed clear round Bassakanna to our objective, Malu.

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