détaler

An informal, vivid verb for fleeing suddenly and fast — often out of fear, panic, or embarrassment. It's almost always paired with a comparison for extra color, most famously détaler comme un lièvre (or comme un lapin in everyday speech): to bolt like a hare/rabbit.

• Dès qu'il a vu le chien, il a détalé. — As soon as he saw the dog, he bolted.
• Les voleurs ont détalé en entendant la sirène. — The thieves scrammed when they heard the siren.
• Elle a détalé comme un lapin dès que le prof est entré. — She bolted like a rabbit the moment the teacher walked in.

Détaler always implies speed and a sudden, often panicked departure — it's stronger than the neutral partir (to leave), so don't use it for an ordinary, calm exit from a room or meeting.

• expression détaler comme un lièvre — A well-established French fixed expression meaning to flee at top speed, typically out of fear or panic — likened to a hare's instinctive, frantic dash, with 'comme un lapin' (like a rabbit) as its common everyday variant.