turned tail

Beat hasty retreat

Turned tail means fled or ran away, especially in a cowardly or hasty manner.

The image is of an animal or person spinning around to escape, showing their back: When the police arrived, the vandals turned tail and ran.

The phrase carries a note of cowardice or panic—someone who turned tail didn't stand their ground.

flight

flee

Depart swiftly from threat

  • boltThreaded rod for nuts
  • dashQuick burst or pinch
  • sprintBrief maximum-speed effort

escape · evade · elude · abscond · vanish · disappear · decamp · skedaddle · scram · runaway

surrender

capitulate

Yield under pressure

  • yieldProduce or relinquish
  • submitPresent for consideration
  • concedeAdmit something reluctantly

give in · give up · abandon · quit · forfeit · relinquish · wave white flag · back down · cave in · throw in towel

cowardice

fearful

Full of fright

  • timidLacking courage or confidence
  • cravenContemptibly lacking nerve
  • spinelessLacking courage or resolve

chickenhearted · cowardly · gutless · yellow-bellied · fainthearted · lily-livered · quailing · wimpish · meek · poltroon

defeat

vanquished

Defeated completely

conquered · overpowered · crushed · trounced · outmatched · outclassed · outplayed · humiliated · scattered · dispersed

Opposites
courage in confrontation

turned tailstood one's ground

Refused to back down

faced the music · dug in · stood tall · stayed put · took a stand

military/tactical positioning

turned tailadvanced

Far along in development

charged · counterattacked · attacked · pushed on · engaged

Family

turn, turned, turning, turns, turner, turnout, turnaround, overturn, upturn

Familiarity
Top 100,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G