Dictionary

Irish goodbye en · NOUN

Etymology

The ethnicity has been swappable depending on the time and place of the speakers; more at French leave.

Meanings

1. (US) A hasty exit made without saying farewells to anybody.
   • If you get cornered, make like Hotspur in Henry IV, Part One. Say, “‘O gentlemen, the time of life is short!’”. Then swoop off into the next room and quickly pull an Irish goodbye. 2015, Sarah Knight, The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k, Hachette UK, →ISBN:
   • So I pulled an Irish goodbye. Up and left before anyone realized I was gone. Thinking back on that now, I regret it. 2016, Rob Hart, South Village, Polis Books, →ISBN:
   • It seemed I had flawlessly executed the Irish goodbye without even trying. All I had left to do was leave. 2023, Joey Hartstone, The Local, Pushkin Press, →ISBN:
   • to pull an Irish goodbye

Forms

Synonyms

Irish exit · French leave

Translations (3)

ru уйти по-английски (French exit — see also French exit) · pl wyjść po angielsku (French exit — see also French exit) · fr partir à l'anglaise (French exit — see also French exit)