turn one's back on

Idioms and Phrases

Deny, reject; also abandon, forsake. For example, I can't turn my back on my own daughter, no matter what she's done , or He simply turned his back on them and never gave it a second thought . [c. 1400] Also see when one's back is turned .

Related Words

• decline
• ignore
• protest
• rebuff
• reject
• turn down
• withdraw
• withhold