Phrasal verb
bail out on
Definition
phrasal verb. to suddenly stop helping someone or leave a situation when you are needed.
phrasal verb. to abandon a person, commitment, or responsibility, particularly at a critical moment or when the situation becomes difficult.
Examples
“He promised to help me move, but he bailed out on me.”
“The lead singer bailed out on the band just two days before their first big concert.”
“Investors began to bail out on the startup once they realized the product would not meet its ambitious launch deadline.”
Examples
simple
“He promised to help me move, but he bailed out on me.”
contextual
“The lead singer bailed out on the band just two days before their first big concert.”
complex
“Investors began to bail out on the startup once they realized the product would not meet its ambitious launch deadline.”
Usage
Usually followed by a person or a specific project.
Teaching tip
contrast with the financial 'bail out' (to rescue); here, the addition of 'on' shifts the meaning from 'saving someone' to 'abandoning someone'.
Pitfall
He bailed out me.
He bailed out on me.
the preposition 'on' is necessary to indicate the person who is being let down or abandoned.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out on
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
bail + out + on + object