To leave quickly or run away fast, usually in a hurry or to escape.
From 'high' plus 'tail,' describing how animals like deer or rabbits raise their tails high when running away at speed. This American slang term emerged in the 19th century from observing animal behavior.
The word literally describes what animals do when they flee—they stick their tails straight up! So when you 'hightail it,' you're mimicking the desperate sprint posture of a startled rabbit or deer.
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