What’s the origin of the phrase “hell bent for leather?”
Ted Holland
Cornelius, North Carolina
“Hell bent for leather” is a term that refers to the act of embarking impulsively with little regard for the consequences. It’s believed to be a mash-up of two popular 19th-century terms: “Hell bent,” which indicated fierce determination for some reckless cause, and “Hell for leather,” which refers to riding horseback at breakneck speed.
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Marshall Trimble is Arizona’s official historian and the Wild West History Association’s vice president. His latest book is 2018’s Arizona Oddities: A Land of Anomalies and Tamales. Send your question, with your city/state of residence, to marshall.trimble@scottsdalecc.edu or Ask the Marshall, P.O. Box 8008, Cave Creek, AZ 85327.