Dejected, cowed, ashamed, especially after a defeat or being proven wrong. For example, After bragging about her great musical ability, she lost the competition and went off with her tail between her legs. This idiom alludes to a dog's slinking away in this manner. [First half of 1800s]
tail between one's legs, with one's
| Idioms: tail between one's legs, with one's |
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 | tail (Idiom) |
| leg (Idiom) |
| between (Idiom) |
 | What has 14 legs 6 heads12 ears50 fingers and one tail in this group? Read answer... |
| Difference between one and two tailed tests? Read answer... |
| What does tail between your legs mean? Read answer... |
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 | Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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