Society, Law & Politics - Leaving or Escaping

Discover how English idioms like "the bird has flown" and "do a moonlight flit" relate to leaving or escaping in English.

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English idioms related to Society, Law & Politics

to take to one's heels

[phrase]

to begin to leave somewhere by running fast

Ex: If the dog starts barking aggressively, she will likely take to her heels in fear.

the bird has flown

[sentence]

said to mean that a person that one looks for has fled or left

Ex: The journalist hoped to interview the elusive celebrity, but by the time they got to the event, the bird had flown.

AWOL

[Adjective]

(of a soldier) having left one's military duty without being permitted to do so

Ex: If he chooses to go AWOL from his military duty, he will face severe legal and disciplinary repercussions.

to go south

[phrase]

to depart or leave a place, often with the intention of avoiding a difficult or uncomfortable situation

Ex: If things get too difficult, she would consider going south and starting fresh.

on the run

[phrase]

moving from one place to another in an attempt to not get caught or arrested

Ex: The suspect in the high-profile case went on the run, leaving detectives in a race against time to track them down.

to go to ground

[phrase]

to suddenly disappear from sight, particularly in order to hide from someone

Ex: They would have gone to ground if they had known the consequences of their actions.

to give somebody the slip

[phrase]

to escape in order to not get caught or not to be with someone

Ex: If they were being pursued, they would attempt to give their pursuers the slip by hiding in a crowded area.

to bust a move

[phrase]

to leave somewhere, often hastily

Ex: If the situation becomes unbearable, he would consider busting a move and making a swift exit.

to make a move

[phrase]

to start to leave a place to get to somewhere else

Ex: I'll make a move after I say goodbye to everyone.

in the wind

[phrase]

running away in an attempt not to get caught

Ex: He managed to escape from the prison and was in the wind for several weeks.

into thin air

[phrase]

used to refer to a someone or something that suddenly disappears, particularly in a way that is mysterious or suspicious

Ex: After the grand finale, the fireworks will burst into vibrant colors and then dissolve into thin air.

disappearing act

[phrase]

an instance of someone becoming impossible to find, particularly when they are needed, wanted, or in a difficult or unpleasant situation

Ex: He pulled a vanishing act after the argument, and we didn't see him for days.

to do a moonlight flit

[phrase]

to leave a place secretly and as fast as one can, particularly in order to avoid paying one's debts

Ex: If they manage to sell their belongings discreetly, they can execute a successful moonlight flit.

to go over the wall

[phrase]

to manage to escape from a prison

Ex: Should they find a weakness in the prison's perimeter, they could plan to go over the wall.

Society, Law & Politics
According to Rules	Defying Norms	Justice	Injustice
Politics	Political Issues	Punishment	Society
Social Class	Social Norms & Conformity	Leaving or Escaping	Fraud & Swindle

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