turn tail

Idioms  

1. Run away, as in When they heard the sirens, the boys turned tail. This term alludes to an animal's turning its back in flight. [Mid-1500s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

turn tail

"The alien's would turn tail and head back to Mars."

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Instead, the player nicknamed “The Alien” puts a force field around the basket—making would-be attackers turn tail and run away.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026

Stick it out long enough, and they’ll turn on their own allies, start fighting among themselves, turn tail and run away.

From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2025

“Even when you got some animals successfully into deeper waters, it’s not uncommon for them to turn tail and come straight back in,” said Karen Stockin, a professor and marine mammal scientist.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 22, 2022

‘Because I intend to make sure that you get to the Mountain of the World Spirit. If I didn’t make you, you wouldn’t even try. You’d just turn tail and run. Because you’re a coward.’

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver