Hola Frank:
OK, I shouldn't have made a flat statement like that. Sorry. I should have known that you did your research
! So if you've found it in a dictionary somewhere I will not argue with that. BUT...in 60+ years I have never heard hotfoot used without an "it" so let me re-phrase my statement. Even if it is legal, you SHOULD not use it asi in the United States because I think if you use it as an adverb, as in the examples, it will sound ODD AT BEST; however, maybe they use it like that in other parts of the world.
I have to remember to always say that I am speaking as a native
U.S. speaker and I am not an expert on English in the rest of the world.
Since you and Exx and I all agree that it is seldomly used I think
maramaras should be
careful in incorporating this into her English vocabulary for the moment.
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Buenos días Exx!...or should I say buenas tardes ya!
To leave hastily:
bolt, get out,
run.
Informal clear out,
get,
skedaddle.
Slang hightail,
scram,
vamoose.
Idioms: beat it, hightail it, hotfoot it, make tracks.
See approach/retreat.
We could have fun adding some words to this list
like, zip (zip on over there!), move it!, haul ass (let's haul ass outta here!!), etc.
hey, hotfoot it!!
Would mean: hey, come on, get going, hurry up!!
Correct!
And not: hey, get out of here! Get lost!!
Yes, it would mean that too, Exx! Depends on the voice. Like "
hotfoot it!!" alone might mean "hurry" but
"hotfoot it outta here!"...would be unmistakable in meaning! Especially if you added "
or else!"