Meaning of "Helter Skelter" There is a Beatles' song called Helter Skelter. Now, when I type the words, they have red wave under-bar. Where do these words come from? I looked them up on some online d

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Meaning of "Helter Skelter" There is a Beatles' song called Helter Skelter. Now, when I type the words, they have red wave under-bar. Where do these words come from? I looked them up on some online dictionaries, they say the words mean that you are in a chaotic status or disturbance. Also, it is said that the name was made after a slide. If so, is there any story behind naming a slide so?

Aug 30, 2014 1:27 PM

Answers · 5

This is a picture of a helter skelter: http://www.educationalresource.info/fun-fair/helter-skelter.jpg. Yes, the term 'helter skelter' suggests chaos, but also movement and speed. The ride is called that because you get steadily faster and more 'out of control' as as you go down.

August 30, 2014

We use rhyming pairs like this in English. "Helter-skelter" literally means "chaotically". Perhaps "skelter" is related to "scatter". Hither-thither, higgledy piggledy, airy-fairy, the list goes on...

August 30, 2014

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