take to one's heels

verb

To leave, especially to flee or run away.

Similar
make tracks
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbtake to one's heels (third-person singular simple present takes to one's heels, present participle taking to one's heels, simple past took to one's heels, past participle taken to one's heels)

present singular third person takes to one's heels · participle present taking to one's heels · past took to one's heels · participle past taken to one's heels

  1. idiomaticTo leave, especially to flee or run away.

    Often tax defaulters would take to their heels on sighting the tax collectors.

    2010, Dr Oliver Akamnonu, Arranged Marriage and the Vanishing Roots, →ISBN, page 81
    3 more examples

    [T]hen, confused and frightened, he took to his heels; and, not knowing what he did, made off as fast as he could lay his feet to the ground.

    1839, Charles Dickens, chapter 10, in Oliver Twist

    Of a sudden, however, a man broke from their company, took to his heels, and fled into the church.

    1908, Robert Louis Stevenson, chapter 26, in In the South Seas

    After returning the fire three times, Peale's men saw the enemy formed near the college take to their heels.

    1955 July 4, “Art: Patriot Painter”, in Time

    Synonyms: make tracks

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo leave, especially to flee or run away.

Similar
make tracks
Also see
fleetake to the hills

Translations

Bulgarian плюя си на петите
  • плюя си на петите (pljuja si na petite)to flee or run away
Czech vzít nohy na ramena
  • vzít nohy na ramenato flee or run away
Dutch het hazenpad kiezen
  • het hazenpad kiezento flee or run away
Finnish ottaa hatkat
  • ottaa hatkatto flee or run away
French prendre ses jambes à son cou
  • prendre ses jambes à son couto flee or run away
German sich davonmachen, sich aus dem Staub machen
  • sich davonmachento flee or run away
  • sich aus dem Staub machento flee or run away
  • die Beine in die Hand nehmento flee or run away
  • Reißaus nehmento flee or run away
Greek το βάζω στα πόδια
  • το βάζω στα πόδια (to vázo sta pódia)to flee or run away
Hindi नौ दो ग्यारह होना
  • नौ दो ग्यारह होना (nau do gyārah honā)to flee or run away
Hungarian felhúzza a nyúlcipőt
  • felhúzza a nyúlcipőtto flee or run away
Icelandic taka til fótanna, taka á rás
  • taka til fótannato flee or run away
  • taka á rásto flee or run away
Irish na boinn a bhaint as
  • na boinn a bhaint asto flee or run away
Polish brać nogi za pas, wziąć nogi za pas
  • brać nogi za pasto flee or run away
  • wziąć nogi za pasto flee or run away
Portuguese pôr os pés em polvorosa
  • pôr os pés em polvorosato flee or run away
Romanian a-și lua picioarele la spinare, a o lua la sănătoasa
  • a-și lua picioarele la spinareto flee or run away
  • a o lua la sănătoasato flee or run away
Spanish apretar los talones, salir en carrera
  • apretar los talonesto flee or run away
  • salir en carrerato flee or run away
  • poner pies en polvorosato flee or run away
  • darse a la fugato flee or run away
Tamil ஓட்டம்பிடி
  • ஓட்டம்பிடி (ōṭṭampiṭi)to flee or run away
Turkish topukları götüne değerek kaçmak
  • topukları götüne değerek kaçmakto flee or run away
Yiddish מאַכן פּליטה, נעמען די פֿיס אויף די פּלייצעס
  • מאַכן פּליטה (makhn pleyte)to flee or run away
  • נעמען די פֿיס אויף די פּלייצעס (nemen di fis oyf di pleytses)to flee or run away
Cite this entry
APA

take to one's heels. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20to%20one's%20heels

MLA

“take to one's heels.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20to%20one's%20heels. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “take to one's heels,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20to%20one's%20heels.

Source: take to one's heels on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.