take a powder

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take a powder (third-person singular simple present takes a powder, present participle taking a powder, simple past took a powder, past participle taken a powder)

1. (idiomatic, US, colloquial) To leave without saying goodbye; leave quietly, run away; scram; depart without taking leave or notifying anyone, often with a connotation of avoiding something unpleasant or shirking responsibility.

   Synonym: take a walkout powder

   • 1933, Raymond Chandler, “Blackmailers Don't Shoot”, in Collected Stories, Everyman's Library, published 2002, page 20:

     Macdonald spoke slowly, bitterly. "The kidnapping is one too many for me, Costello. I don't want any part of it. I'm takin' a powder from this toy mob. I took a chance that bright boy might side me."

   • 1946, Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow, Bernard Wolfe, “They Found the Body in a Ditch”, in Really the Blues, New York, N.Y.: Random House, book 2 (1923–1928: Chicago, Chicago), page 66:

     First Mrs Hitchcock packed up and took a powder, and there was hell to pay.

   • 1971, Louis-Ferdinand D. Celine, Death on the Installment Plan, page 446:

     Our idea was that once the storm had subsided we'd take a powder one night with our dough. . . We'd take our stuff and give ourselves a change of air. . . move to a different neighborhood.

   • 1979, Dan McCall, Beecher: A Novel, page 162:

     "Mr. Tilton said you told him you would take a powder." "Take a powder?" said Henry. "I once heard a man from Nevada tell me he would take a powder, meaning he was leaving town."

   • 2000, Barbara Weltman, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business, page 271:

     But when you suffer losses, Uncle Sam may take a powder.

   • 2004, Robert Hough, Hogie Wyckoff, The Final Confession of Mabel Stark, page 418:

     Go on, now. Scram. Take a powder. And don't come back till people on the street start wishing you a good afternoon.

• take to the hills