skip town
Meaning
Leave town suddenly, often secretly, to avoid trouble or responsibility.
Origin
"Skip" has long meant “leave/avoid” (as in skip class). By the early 20th century, "skip town" was used for suddenly leaving a place, often to dodge the law, debts, or fallout.
Notes
Colloquial and often implies running away (debts, law, consequences), not just leaving for travel. Slightly informal; can sound accusatory.
Examples
-
When the police started asking questions, he decided to skip town before things got worse.
-
After the scandal broke, the CEO quietly skipped town and stopped answering calls.
-
If you don’t pay the rent, you can’t just skip town and pretend nothing happened.
-
She skipped town for a few weeks to clear her head and avoid family drama.
-
The con artist skipped town overnight, leaving a trail of unpaid bills behind.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as a verb phrase: "skip town" / "skipped town". Often with "and" ("skip town and..."), or after "decide to". Commonly takes no article (not "skip the town").
Synonyms
- take off
- do a runner
- run off
- flee
- bolt
Antonyms
- stay put
- stick around
- face the music