敵前逃亡
てきぜんとうぼう
noun
desertion in the face of the enemy; running away at the crucial moment
formalmilitary
1.
desertion in the face of the enemy
Fleeing from a position when the enemy is at hand — historically one of the gravest military offenses.
2.
backing out just when one is needed most
Used figuratively, and half-jokingly, of someone who abandons a task, a match, or a group right at the decisive moment.
The manager took the day off on the day of the negotiations, and people said he'd run away from the front line.
Compound of 敵前 (before the enemy) and 逃亡 (flight, desertion).
Common collocations
- 敵前逃亡の罪: the crime of desertion in the face of the enemy
- 敵前逃亡する: to desert in the face of the enemy
- まるで敵前逃亡だ: it's practically desertion
Usage
Sense 2 is the one learners will actually hear, usually as criticism softened by exaggeration. Because the literal sense is severe, it is too strong for a genuinely minor absence.