fold one's tent
fold (up) (one's) tent
To quit, withdraw, or disengage (from something), especially quietly or discreetly. After allegations of embezzlement, the CEO decided to fold his tent and take an early retirement. You're going to have a lot of setbacks in life, so don't just fold up your tent and go home at the first sign of failure.
See also: fold, tent
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
fold one's tent
Quietly depart, as in It's late, so let's fold our tents. This term is a partial quotation of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "The Day is Done" (1844): "And the night shall be filled with music, And the cares that infest the day, Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs, And quietly steal away."
See also: fold, tent
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- fold (up) (one's) tent
- belly up
- be put out to grass
- pilfer
- pilfer from
- pilfer from (someone or something)
- pilfered
- catch a tiger by the tail
- the blame for (something)
- be in the right spot at the right time