/ ˌheltə ˈskeltə(r); NAmE ˌheltər/ noun , adjective
■ noun
( BrE ) a tall tower at a fairground that has a path twisting around the outside of it from the top to the bottom for people to slide down
■ adjective
[ only before noun ] done in a hurry and in a way that lacks organization :
a helter-skelter dash to meet the deadline
► helter-skelter adverb
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent. (as an adverb): a rhyming jingle of unknown origin, perhaps symbolic of running feet or from Middle English skelte hasten .