The idiom "hightail it" means to leave or run away from a place quickly. It is often used to describe a situation where someone needs to leave in a hurry or escape from danger.
For example, if you are at a party and you suddenly realize that you left the stove on at home, you might say "I have to hightail it out of here and get home before something bad happens."
Another example could be if you are walking in a park and you see a group of angry dogs running towards you, you might say "We need to hightail it out of here before those dogs catch us!"
In both cases, the phrase "hightail it" means to move quickly and get away from the situation as fast as possible. It is a slang term that is commonly used in casual conversation, especially in the United States.
• I need to hightail it to catch the bus, or I'll be late for my appointment. (basic level, present tense)
• The deadline for the project is approaching, so we need to hightail it and finish it before the end of the month. (upper-intermediate level, metaphorical usage)
• The thieves tried to rob the bank, but the security guards managed to catch them before they could hightail it. (advanced level, figurative expression)
• We had an amazing time at the party last night, but we had to hightail it out of there before the cops showed up. (intermediate level, colloquial expression)
• After the intense negotiations, the company had to hightail it out of the city to avoid the press and the protesters. (proficient level, sophisticated usage)
• The storm is getting worse, we should hightail it to the nearest shelter before it gets dangerous. (pre-intermediate level, phrasal verb)