abandoning ship
Leaving sinking craft
Abandoning ship is leaving a vessel that's in danger of sinking—the captain's last resort when a ship can no longer be saved.
Figuratively, it means deserting any failing enterprise: Investors started abandoning ship when the scandal broke.
The phrase implies urgency and self-preservation, sometimes with a whiff of disloyalty to those left behind.
- quitCease doing something
- fleeDepart swiftly from threat
- going downMoving in downward direction
- evacuateLeave due to danger
- desertTo leave behind completely
forsake · disembark · escape · bail out · depart · lifeboat · withdraw · distress signal · sinking · capsizing · mayday · failure · retreat · rescue operation · surrender · shipwreck · betrayal · every man for himself
- Naval Eventsnaval battle, sea battle, shipwreck, sinking, collision
- desperate measureslast resort, desperate plea, desperation move, last ditch, last chance
- surrendersurrender, surrenders, surrendering, I surrender, capitulate
abandoning shipgoing down with the ship
sticking it out · standing fast · sticking with it · staying put · standing by
abandon, abandoned, abandoning, abandonment, abandons, ship, ships, shipped, shipping