hightail it

Idioms  

1. Go as fast as possible, especially in leaving; rush off. For example, With the police now searching for them, they hightailed it out of town, or When Jane remembered it was his birthday, she hightailed it to the bakery for a cake. This expression alludes to the raised tail of a rabbit or other animal that is fleeing. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

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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

“You two should’ve been in the underground auditorium five minutes ago. I suggest you change into your uniforms, make those beds, and hightail it down there.”

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston