hightail

English

WOTD – 7 July 2008

Etymology

high + tail; refers to the behavior of fleeing animals, such as deer, that raise their tail when running away.

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) enPR: hīʹtāl, IPA(key): /ˈhaɪ.teɪl/
  • (file)
  • (file)

Verb

hightail (third-person singular simple present hightails, present participle hightailing, simple past and past participle hightailed); usually with it; see hightail it.

  1. (usually transitive) To move at full speed, especially in retreat.
    He hightailed it toward town.
    I want you to hightail your butt out of there before they come back.
    As soon as she arrived, I hightailed out of there.

Synonyms

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