Hightailed Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
๐โโ๏ธ
hightailed
[haษชหteษชld ]
Definition
informal usage
To hightail means to leave a place quickly or to dash away at high speed. This term often implies urgency or the need to escape from a situation.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- When the storm hit, we hightailed it to our car.
- Seeing the police, the suspects hightailed out of the area.
- She hightailed it home when she heard the news.
- He hightailed it away from the argument.
Translations
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Origin of 'hightailed'
The word 'hightail' originates from the mid-19th century, stemming from the combination of 'high' and 'tail'. The term originally referred to the tails of animals, particularly horses, which would be raised high when they are frightened or fleeing. The 'high-tail', then, metaphorically implies a sense of urgency or rapid departure. Over time, it evolved into a colloquial expression used to describe someone leaving a situation quickly, especially in contexts of escape or avoiding trouble. Despite its origins in animal behavior, 'hightail' has become widely accepted in everyday language.
Word Frequency Rank
Ranking #39,260, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.
- ...
- 39257 landscaper
- 39258 espying
- 39259 stardust
- 39260 hightailed
- 39261 peeve
- 39262 silverfish
- 39263 nincompoop
- ...