hightailing
Making quick escape
Hightailing means leaving quickly, usually to escape trouble or avoid something unpleasant: We saw the cops and went hightailing out of there.
The image comes from animals like deer or rabbits raising their tails as they flee.
Almost always appears with a direction: hightailing it, hightailing out, hightailing home.
Departing at speed
- dashingSpiritedly stylish and bold
- sprintingMaximum-speed locomotion on foot
- skedaddlingDeparting quickly, informally
- abscondingDeparting secretly to evade
retreating · decamping · vamoosing · scampering · escaping · departing · withdrawing · vanishing
Avoiding by moving aside
- eludingEscaping or avoiding skillfully
- escapingDeparting confinement hastily
- avoidingDeliberately staying clear
- slipping awayGradually leaving or diminishing
shaking off · ducking out · sneaking off · making oneself scarce · laying low · disappearing · vanishing · getting away
bolting
Departing at speed
- dashingSpiritedly stylish and bold
- sprintingMaximum-speed locomotion on foot
- skedaddlingDeparting quickly, informally
absconding · retreating · decamping · vamoosing · scampering · escaping · departing · withdrawing · vanishing · disappearing
dodging
Avoiding by moving aside
- eludingEscaping or avoiding skillfully
- escapingDeparting confinement hastily
- avoidingDeliberately staying clear
slipping away · shaking off · ducking out · sneaking off · making oneself scarce · laying low · disappearing · vanishing · getting away · outrunning
speeding
Exceeding posted velocity limits
galloping · zooming · barreling · rocketing · tearing · charging · scrambling · scuttling · whisking · blitzing
frantic
Wildly anxious or desperate
spooked · startled · frightened · anxious · panicking · scared · fearful · rattled · running scared
hightailingdawdling
Leisurely time-wasting
strolling · sauntering · ambling · plodding · moseying
hightailinglingering
Remaining beyond expected duration
tarrying · dallying · loafing · lollygagging · idling
hightailingstanding one's ground
Refusing to yield position
staying put · remaining · confronting · approaching · advancing
- hightailing itDeparting very quickly