Irish goodbye

English

Etymology

The ethnicity has been swappable depending on the time and place of the speakers; more at French leave. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

Irish goodbye (plural Irish goodbyes)

1. A hasty exit made without saying farewells to anybody.

   Synonyms: Irish exit, see at French leave

   to pull an Irish goodbye

   • 2015, Sarah Knight, The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k‎^[1], Hachette UK, →ISBN:

     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.

   • 2016, Rob Hart, South Village‎^[2], Polis Books, →ISBN:

     So I pulled an Irish goodbye. Up and left before anyone realized I was gone. Thinking back on that now, I regret it.

   • 2023, Joey Hartstone, The Local‎^[3], Pushkin Press, →ISBN:

     It seemed I had flawlessly executed the Irish goodbye without even trying. All I had left to do was leave.

2. (less commonly) A long, drawn-out exit in which one or more participants repeatedly make farewells before parting ways.

   to avoid an Irish goodbye

Translations

French exit — see also French exit

• Polish: wyjść po angielsku (pl) (literally “to leave English style”)
• Russian: уйти по-английски (ru) (ujti po-anglijski)