abandon

abandon someone or something to someone or something

to leave a person, living creature, or thing to the care of someone or something; to give up someone or something to someone or something. (Usually with the thought that the abandoned person or thing will not receive the best of care.) They had to abandon the dogs to the storm.

Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.

Prov. If you come in, be prepared for the worst. (Describes a hopeless situation or one somehow similar to hell. Often used jocularly. This is the English translation of the words on the gate of Hell in Dante's Inferno.) This is our cafeteria. Abandon hope, all ye who enter here!

See also: enter, here, who

abandon oneself to something

to yield to the comforts or delights of something. The children abandoned themselves to the delights of the warm summer day.

See also: oneself

abandon ship 

1. Lit. to leave a sinking ship. The captain ordered the crew and passengers to abandon ship.

2. . Fig. to leave a failing enterprise. A lot of the younger people are abandoning ship because they can get jobs elsewhere easily.

See also: ship

Rats abandon a sinking ship. and like rats abandoning a sinking ship

Prov. You can tell when something is about to fail because large numbers of people begin to leave it. (Can imply that the people who leave are "rats," that is, selfish and disloyal.) Jill: The company next door must be going bankrupt. Jane: How do you know? Jill: All its employees are resigning. Rats abandon a sinking ship.

See also: Rat, ship, sink