high and dry

Meanings

adjectivehigh and dry (not comparable)

not comparableLeft out of water, stranded on a beach, or in the stocks for repair, or in dry dock.
idiomaticnot comparableAbandoned, stranded, helpless.
Synonyms: deserted, forsaken, abandoned, derelict, desert, deserted, desolate, discarded
derogatoryidiomaticnot comparableAssociated with the high church (the Church of England and other Anglican traditions, in reference to their "high" political position in England and "dry" and austere mode of worship), as opposed to the "low and slow" Evangelical party and the "broad and shallow" Broad Church.
"There are two recognized parties in the church of England, the old High-and-dry church party, and the so-called Evangelical. To one or other of these two the Anglo-Catholic must conform."
1844, A. H. Maltby, The New Englander, volume 2, page 321
USidiomaticnot comparableslangWith no condiments.

adjectiveAbandoned, stranded, helpless.

Also see

Polish osadzony na mieliźnie, osadzony na suchym brzegu

osadzony na mieliźnieleft out of water, stranded on a beach, or in the stocks for repair, or in dry dock
osadzony na suchym brzeguleft out of water, stranded on a beach, or in the stocks for repair, or in dry dock
osadzony na suchym lądzieleft out of water, stranded on a beach, or in the stocks for repair, or in dry dock
sam jak palecabandoned, stranded, helpless
pozostawiony bez pomocyabandoned, stranded, helpless
zostawiony na lodzieabandoned, stranded, helpless
tradycjonalistycznyassociated with the high church
zachowawczyassociated with the high church
ortodoksyjnyassociated with the high church
konserwatywnyassociated with the high church
bez sosuwith no condiments

Cite this entry

APA

high and dry. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high%20and%20dry

MLA

“high and dry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high%20and%20dry. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “high and dry,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high%20and%20dry.