jump ship

jump ship

1. To suddenly abandon one's post on a ship, as of a sailor. No one has been able to find that missing sailor, so they think he probably jumped ship.2. By extension, to suddenly abandon any post or task. I can't believe he resigned and jumped ship before bringing about the big changes he promised.See also: jump, ship

jump ship

 1. Lit. to leave one's job on a ship and fail to be aboard it when it sails; [for a sailor] to go AWOL. One of the deckhands jumped ship at the last port. 2. Fig. to leave any post or position; to quit or resign, especially when there is difficulty with the job. None of the editors liked the new policies, so they all jumped ship as soon as other jobs opened up.See also: jump, ship

jump ship

or

abandon ship

COMMON If you jump ship or abandon ship, you leave an organization because you think it is going to fail or because you want to join a rival organization. Landau had jumped ship by the time the company collapsed. For weeks he worked eighteen-hour days, pleading with his staff not to abandon ship. Note: If sailors jump ship, they leave their ship without permission and do not return. See also: jump, ship

jump ship

1 (of a sailor) leave the ship on which you are serving without having obtained permission to do so. 2 suddenly abandon an organization, enterprise, etc.See also: jump, ship

jump ˈship


1 (of a sailor) leave the ship on which you are serving, without permission: Two of the sailors jumped ship in New York.
2 leave an organization that you belong to, suddenly and unexpectedly: When they realized that the company was in serious financial trouble, quite a few of the staff jumped ship.See also: jump, ship