hightail

American  

[hahy-teyl] / ˈhaɪˌteɪl /

verb (used without object)

Informal.

hightails, present (3rd person singular) hightailed, past participle, past hightailing present participle

1. to go away or leave rapidly.

   Last we saw of him, he was hightailing down the street.

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idioms

1. hightail it, hurry; rush; scamper.

   Hightail it down to the grocery store and buy some bread for lunch.

hightail British  

/ ˈhaɪˌteɪl /

verb

1. Also: hightail it.  informal (intr) to go or move in a great hurry

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• hightailing
  present
• hightailed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• hightail
  simple
• hightails
  simple
• have hightailed
  perfect
• has hightailed
  perfect
• am hightailing
  progressive
• are hightailing
  progressive
• is hightailing
  progressive
• have been hightailing
  perfect progressive
• has been hightailing
  perfect progressive

Past

• hightailed
  simple
• had hightailed
  perfect
• was hightailing
  progressive
• were hightailing
  progressive
• had been hightailing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will hightail
  simple
• will have hightailed
  perfect
• will be hightailing
  progressive
• will have been hightailing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of hightail

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90; high + tail ¹, in reference to the raised tails of fleeing animals, as deer or rabbits

Explanation

To hightail is to leave or move very quickly. Your plan might be to hightail to New York City as soon as you graduate from high school. Hightail is an useful, informal verb that means "get out fast" or "make a beeline for" or "cut and run." Bank robbers might jump in their getaway car and hightail it to their hideout, and a shivering snowshoer will hightail it to a warm fireplace after hours out in the snow. Hightail is 1890s U.S. cattle ranch slang, from the way a running cow or bull raises its tail.

Example Sentences

Read on, study up, then hightail it to your nearest butcher.

From Salon • Apr. 2, 2022

“But if not, we’ll hightail it out. We’ll get out.”

From Seattle Times • Aug. 31, 2021

It turns out that humans have made a mess of the planet, and it’s our turn to hightail it to other worlds in search of greener pastures.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 27, 2018

“I feel hopeful but not necessarily optimistic,” said Kimmel, who planned to hightail it out of Washington after the show.

From Washington Post • Oct. 22, 2017

“Best get your friend and hightail it outta here.”

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee