What does 'Rats desert a sinking ship' mean?

In: Idioms and Slang, Famous Quotations, Metaphors Metonymy and Synechdoche

When there were wooden ships in common use, there would always be rats on board. If the ship were to sink the rats would jump off and swim away because they knew the ship was sinking and that they needed to swim to safety/shelter.

The phrase is now used to refer to people who ditch a lost cause because they weren't committed to it. Unlike the captain and men on the ship who would have tried to save it the rats just fled. Unlike the creators of a cause would try and keep the cause afloat (if you'll excuse the pun) whereas the tag along followers just there for the ride (again an interesting pun - thus why this phrase fits so nicely) would just ditch it.

Hope this helps, often these phrases aren't as complicated as they may look.

Also I recategorised it for you, it isn't a quote it is just a phrase.

Acey~Nz

First answer by Acey Nz. Last edit by Acey Nz. Contributor trust: 2 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 2 [recommend question]

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Desert a sinking ship (Idiom)
Lost Ship of the Desert

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How do you keep a ship from sinking? What does Rats desert a sinking ship mean? Are ship rats really as mean as they say they are?