(informal, chiefly, North America, usually, transitive) To move at full speed, especially in retreat.
(informal, chiefly, North America, usually, transitive) To move at full speed, especially in retreat.
He hightailed it toward town.
"hightail" means: To move at full speed, especially in retreat.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.
"hightail" means: To move at full speed, especially in retreat.. Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
"hightail" means: To move at full speed, especially in retreat.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
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(informal, chiefly, North America) To hurry or run; often, to flee.
(US, slang) To leave; to depart.
US slang meaning to leave quickly or depart in a hurry — essentially the same as haul ass, but with tail substituting for the more explicit word. Used in informal American speech, particularly in Southern and rural varieties. Conveys urgency or the desire to get away fast.
(Australia, horse racing) A fast gallop.
(slang) To depart in a hurry; to flee.