hightail

[ hahy-teyl ]
/ ˈhaɪˌteɪl /

verb (used without object) Informal.

to go away or leave rapidly: Last we saw of him, he was hightailing down the street.

Idioms for hightail

    hightail it, hurry; rush; scamper: Hightail it down to the grocery store and buy some bread for lunch.

Origin of hightail

1885–90, Americanism; high + tail1, in reference to the raised tails of fleeing animals, as deer or rabbits

British Dictionary definitions for hightail it

hightail
/ (ˈhaɪˌteɪl) /

verb

(intr) informal, mainly US and Canadian to go or move in a great hurry Also: hightail it

Idioms and Phrases with hightail it

hightail it

Go as fast as possible, especially in leaving; rush off. For example, With the police now searching for them, they hightailed it out of town, or When Jane remembered it was his birthday, she hightailed it to the bakery for a cake. This expression alludes to the raised tail of a rabbit or other animal that is fleeing. [Colloquial; late 1800s]