“Take to one's heels”in other languages

Same idea, different pictures

Most languages put the legs to work. English shows its heels, Italian beats them, battere i tacchi, Russian makes legs, делать ноги, and French takes its legs around its neck, prendre ses jambes à son cou. English can also beat a hasty retreat, a call once given by drummers.

Hindi becomes nine-two-eleven, नौ दो ग्यारह होना, a number pun for vanishing. Ukrainian gives a bolt, дати драла, and French takes the tangent, prendre la tangente, slipping off like a line leaving a circle.