beat a hasty retreat
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The world's top energy companies beat a hasty retreat from Russia and wrote off tens of billions of dollars in assets.
From Reuters • Dec. 13, 2022
When a nervous-looking Jones took the stage, he appeared sick to his stomach, said, “I cannot do this,” and beat a hasty retreat.
From New York Times • Jul. 17, 2021
I decided in the moment to stay rather than beat a hasty retreat, knowing how eminently personable, uncommonly funny, unflaggingly humble and consistently quotable Prine is.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2019
And it’s only a few months since the Academy announced they would be adding a category for “Popular Film” to next year’s Oscars, only to beat a hasty retreat in the face of near-universal criticism.
From Slate • Dec. 7, 2018
When the 586th arrived in their Yaks, the enemy planes dropped their bombs in a snow-covered field instead of on their populated industrial target, and beat a hasty retreat.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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