- Meaning
- This idiom describes moving or acting with extreme speed, urgency, or recklessness, as if fleeing from a terrifying or infernal place like a bat escaping hell. It conveys a sense of frantic, almost uncontrollable haste, used in descriptive, adventurous, or dramatic contexts to highlight rapid motion or intense action, often with a hint of danger or chaos. The phrase carries a vivid, energetic tone, reflecting cultural fascination with speed and the supernatural, and resonates in storytelling and casual speech where dynamic, colorful expressions enhance impact. It often implies a burst of energy or desperation, capturing the human thrill of rapid escape or pursuit, and its gothic imagery adds a layer of dramatic flair to descriptions of swift movement.
- Origin
- The phrase likely emerged in early 20th-century America, tied to the imagery of bats—associated with darkness and speed—and ‘hell’ as a place of terror, possibly inspired by folklore or gothic literature. An early use appears in a 1921 *New York Times* article, describing a car speeding ‘like a bat out of hell.’ The idiom gained traction in the 1920s, reflecting the era’s fascination with automobiles and speed, as seen in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s *The Great Gatsby* (1925), which captures reckless energy. Its popularity was boosted by mid-20th-century pulp fiction and rock music, notably Meat Loaf’s 1977 album *Bat Out of Hell*, which cemented its cultural status. The phrase’s use grew in American English, spreading to British and Commonwealth English through media, particularly action films and car culture. Its vivid imagery, evoking a frenzied escape, and its applicability to rapid action ensured its widespread use across English-speaking cultures, from sports commentary to adventure narratives.
- Variants
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- Like a bat out of hell
- Bat out of hell
- Like a bat from hell
- Out like a bat from hell
- Examples
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- He drove like a bat out of hell to catch the last ferry.
- Bat out of hell, she ran from the haunted house, screaming.
- Like a bat from hell, the team rushed to finish the project before dawn.
- Out like a bat from hell, he bolted when the alarm went off.
- They sped like a bat out of hell to escape the oncoming storm.
- Like a bat out of hell, she dashed to the airport to make her flight.
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