Like a bat out of hell

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Meaning

Moving with wild, reckless speed, tearing off.

Origin

From 20th-century America, tied to 1920s slang; 'bat' for speed, 'hell' for chaos, coined by 1921 in a pilot's tale. A 1940s 'Time' uses it for a car chase.

Variants

  • Out of hell

Usage Examples

  • He drove like a bat out of hell to catch her.
  • She ran like a bat out of hell from the noise.
  • Like a bat out of hell, he fled the scene.

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