High 高的，dry 干的 z干燥的；

　　To be left behind; abandoned. Being in a helpless situation without a way to recover. 被遗忘，被抛弃，处于一个没有援助的处境中；

　　Imagine driving to a friend's wedding, only for your car to break down along the way.想象一下开车去朋友婚礼的路上，车坏掉了。 You could try calling for help, but if no one is willing to offer their support, 你本来可以打电话求助，但是并没有人愿意来帮忙。the saying 'high and dry' would be an appropriate phrase to describe the helpless predicament.这个时候high and dry这个俚语就可以很好滴形容你所在的困境。

　　来源：

　　It is believed that this phrase has something to do with boats that sometimes get stranded on beaches due to shifting sea levels.这个俚语的来源于船有关，有时候船会因为海面的波动而被搁浅在海岸上。 For instance, if a boat is left near the shore during high tides, then it is at risk of be grounded later on.比如，如果一条船在涨潮时停在了海岸附近，那么就有可能被搁浅 Why? Because water levels can decrease throughout the day. 这是为什么呢？因为水平面会降低。So while a boat may have been left on the coast in high waters, in just a few hours, the sea level can fluctuate in that area, leaving the boat stranded on land. 船在涨潮时被推到了岸边，不一会，海平面开始波动，潮水退去的时候船就被搁浅了。Indeed, the boat was abandoned by the water, it was left 'high and dry. 这个时候，船就被潮水遗弃，就会被“高高地并且干燥地”留在岸边；

　　举例：

　　1.The cruel man took all the money and left his own grandmother high and dry.

　　那个残忍的家伙带走了所有的钱，留下了他的祖母无依无靠；

　　2.When the factory closed down, the workers were left high and dry.

　　工厂倒闭后，工人们的生活没有着落。