vote with one's feet
vote with (one's) feet
To show one's approval or disapproval of something through one's presence or absence, especially disapproval through leaving a place by walking out. After his inappropriate comment, we all voted with our feet and just walked away, leaving him standing there alone. If you want to support local businesses, you need to vote with your feet and your dollars—show up and buy stuff!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
vote with one's feet
Indicate one's disapproval by walking out or emigrating, as in The service was so bad that we decided to vote with our feet, or Thousands of Hong Kong residents voted with their feet and left before the Chinese takeover . [Slang; mid-1900s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
vote with one’s feet
in. to show one’s displeasure by walking out. When the audience votes with its feet, you know you don’t have a hit.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
vote with one's feet, to
To register disapproval by leaving. This slangy Americanism dates from the mid-twentieth century and, one writer speculates, may originally have referred to refugees who emigrate because they disapprove of their country’s policies or way of life.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer