twist in the wind

Idioms  

1. Be abandoned to a bad situation, especially be left to incur blame, as in The governor denied knowing it was illegal and left his aide to twist in the wind. It is also put as leave twisting in the wind, meaning “abandon or strand in a difficult situation,” as in Sensing a public relations disaster, the President left the Vice-President twisting in the wind. This expression, at first applied to a President's nominees who faced opposition and were abandoned by the President, alludes to the corpse of a hanged man left dangling and twisting in the open air. [Slang; early 1970s] Also see out on a limb.

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Example Sentences

Namely, how inconsiderate it looks having coaches twist in the wind, uncertain about fates.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 23, 2024

But because the authorities did not resolve her case before the Olympics began, her reputation has been left to twist in the wind.

From New York Times • Feb. 11, 2022

A woman pushing a stroller stopped to watch the garments twist in the wind, staring at the smallest dress in the collection, which would fit a little girl.

From The Guardian • Mar. 7, 2019

Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy on Sept. 15, 2008—left to twist in the wind by Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 9, 2018

I was watching a dry leaf swirl and twist in the wind and she suddenly appeared.

From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani