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Hightailing: meaning, definitions and examples

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hightailing

 

[ haɪˈteɪlɪŋ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

running away

Hightailing refers to the act of retreating or running away quickly from a situation, often due to fear or the need to escape. The term is commonly used in informal contexts, indicating a fast-paced escape. It suggests urgency and the need to put distance between oneself and a potential threat or undesirable circumstance.

Synonyms

bolting, escaping, fleeing, running

Examples of usage

  • When the storm hit, everyone started hightailing it to their cars.
  • The thief hightailed it out of the store as soon as the alarm went off.
  • Seeing the police, the suspect hightailed it down the alley.

Translations

Translations of the word "hightailing" in other languages:

🇵🇹 fugir rapidamente

🇮🇳 तेजी से भागना

🇩🇪 schnell fliehen

🇮🇩 melarikan diri dengan cepat

🇺🇦 втікати швидко

🇵🇱 uciekać szybko

🇯🇵 急いで逃げる

🇫🇷 s'enfuir rapidement

🇪🇸 huir rápidamente

🇹🇷 hızla kaçmak

🇰🇷 빨리 도망가다

🇸🇦 الفرار بسرعة

🇨🇿 utekat rychle

🇸🇰 utekat rýchlo

🇨🇳 迅速逃跑

🇸🇮 pobegniti hitro

🇮🇸 flýja hratt

🇰🇿 жылдам қашу

🇬🇪 სწრაფად გაქცევა

🇦🇿 tez qaçmaq

🇲🇽 huir rápidamente

Word origin

The term 'hightailing' originates from American English in the 19th century, and it traces its roots back to the phrase 'high tail,' which denotes a tail held high, often implying a brisk or lively movement. The word 'tail' in this context refers to the way animals, especially horses, tend to raise their tails when they are moving quickly or galloping away. As such, to 'hightail it' has evolved into a colloquial expression meaning to leave or flee at high speed. Over time, 'hightailing' has been adopted into broader usage, indicating any situation where someone is leaving quickly, often in a somewhat panicked or hasty manner. This informal use underscores a sense of urgency, reflecting human reactions to stressful or threatening scenarios.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #41,822, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.