tail between legs
Slinking away humiliated
To have one's tail between one's legs is to show shame or defeat, like a dog cowering after being scolded.
The image is of slinking away in humiliation rather than holding one's head high: He came back with his tail between his legs after the deal fell through.
The phrase usually follows verbs of motion—walk, run, crawl, slink.
- ashamedFeeling guilt and disgrace
- coweringShrinking in fear
- defeatedOvercome in contest
- beaten downExhausted by hardship
- humiliatedMade to feel worthless
sheepish · hung head · submissive · whimper · slink · retreat · crestfallen · embarrassed · walk of shame · apologetic · eating crow · scolded · whipped · cringe · skulk · grovel · chastened · meek
- cowardicecoward, cowardly, craven, gutless, spineless
- humiliationashamed, abasement, embarrassed, chagrin, mortified
- embarrassmentembarrassed, blush, humiliated, mortify, mortified
tail between legshead held high
Bearing showing self-respect
walking tall · cock of the walk · proud as a peacock · on top of the world · swaggering
tail between legsvictorious
Having achieved triumph
triumphant · riding high · with flying colors · vindicated · undefeated
tail between legsvictorious
Having achieved triumph
triumphant · on the warpath · winning · standing tall · undefeated
tail, tails, tailed, tailing, tailless, between, betwixt, legs, leggings