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The saying "like a bat out of hell" has been common in the UK for decades. It means to leave a place quickly. Bats fly very quickly and erractically, often looking like they are in a panic.

The phrase "like a bat out of hell" first appeared in print in 1921 - legend has it that WWI plane fighters used it to describe flying at top speed. So why "out of hell"? Bats have long been associated with the occult, so the out of hell phrase was apparently added for extra flavor.

The phrase also became popular in the US after the 1977 release of the Meat Loaf album, "Bat Out of Hell."

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14y ago

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