helter-skelter

• n. 狼狈；慌张
• adv. 匆忙地；混乱地
• adj. 仓促忙乱的；杂乱的

词源不详，helter为 skelter的韵律构词。可能来自skel-,弯，转，词源同scoliosis,isosceles.由弯，转引申词义螺旋滑梯。

helter-skelter (adv.)

also helter skelter, 1590s, perhaps from skelte "to hasten, scatter hurriedly," with the first element there merely for the sake of rhyme. As an adjective from 1785.