Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
verb (used without object) Informal.
- to go away or leave rapidly: Last we saw of him, he was hightailing down the street.
- hightail it, hurry; rush; scamper: Hightail it down to the grocery store and buy some bread for lunch.
verb
- (intr) informal, mainly US and Canadian to go or move in a great hurryAlso: hightail it
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]