with tail between legs
with (one's) tail between (one's) legs
Displaying embarrassment or shame, especially after losing or having to admit that one was wrong. Likened to a dog literally putting its tail between its legs after being disciplined. Poor Jeff left the meeting with his tail between his legs after being called out on all his miscalculations. The former star walked off, with tail between legs, after striking out for the third time.
See also: between, leg, tail
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
with one's tail between one's legs
Fig. appearing frightened or cowardly. (Fig. on the image of a frightened or defeated dog going off threatened or humiliated.) John seems to lack courage. When people criticize him unjustly, he just goes away with his tail between his legs and doesn't tell them that they're wrong. The frightened dog ran away with its tail between its legs when the bigger dog growled.
See also: between, leg, tail
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
with (one's) tail between (one's) legs
In a state of humiliation or dejection.
See also: between, leg, tail
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
- a Monday morning quarterback
- speak the same language
- speak the same language, to
- speak/talk the same/a different language
- get (one's) rocks off on (something)
- blow the coals
- stop the bleeding
- a foothold in (something)
- grind to a halt, to
- grind to a halt/standstill