hightail it
Meaning: To leave in a great hurry.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “When the dog started barking, the raccoons hightailed it out of the yard.”
Category: Animals
Origin: American English from the late 19th century: animals such as deer and rabbits raise their tails as they bolt.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Prendre la poudre d'escampette — literally: To take the escampette powder
More idioms — Animals
- you could have knocked me down with a feather — I was extremely surprised.
- like a rat in a trap — Trapped with no way to escape.
- like the cat that got the cream — Very pleased with oneself.
- strong as an ox — Very strong.
- holy cow! — An exclamation of surprise.
- sly as a fox — Very cunning.
More English idioms
- diddly-squat — Nothing at all.
- take a hike — Go away; get lost.
- have a nerve — To be rude or bold in a way that shocks others.
- nobody's fool — A sensible person who is not easily tricked.
- swing the lead — To avoid work, especially by pretending to be ill.
- get on someone's nerves — To annoy someone.
From our proverbs
- Trust in God, and keep your powder dry. — Maintain faith while preparing pragmatically for conflict; spiritual confidence shouldn't…
- Trust not a horse's heel, nor a dog's tooth. — Animals show their danger through their vulnerable parts—beware those who reveal capacity…
- Speak the truth and shame the devil. — Truth-telling defeats deception by exposing falsehood's powerlessness against honest word…