I. ˈhī adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English hegh, hey, high, from Old English hēah; akin to Old High German hōh high, Old Norse hār, Gothic hauhs high, Latin cacumen top, point, Old Irish cūar bent, crooked, Sanskrit kucati he contracts, bends, curves; basic meaning: bending
1.
a.
(1) : having a relatively great upward extension : lofty
a high tree
a high mountain
(2) : being at or rising to a considerable elevation above the ground or other base : elevated
a high leap
a high plateau
(3) : of, relating to, or located on highlands or a plateau
High Asia
(4) of a person : tall
(5) : having a specified altitude or elevation
a new office building 10 stories high
— often used in combination
knee- high
sky- high
(6) : articulated with some part of the tongue close to the palate
ē, i, ü, and u̇ are high vowels
(7) : pitched above shoulder height
a high ball
b.
(1) : advanced toward its acme or fullest extent
it was now high June — Guy McCrone
: advanced toward its most active or culminating period
an Italian vacation during the high season — New York Times
specifically : constituting the late, fully developed, or most creative stage or period (as of an artistic style or career or historical movement)
High Baroque
High Gothic
the high period of William Faulkner's work — M.D.Geismar
the high middle ages
(2) : none too early : verging on lateness — usually used in the phrase high time
high time … that your mother came home — Isa Glenn
(3) : acute in pitch : sharp , shrill
a high tone
a high alto voice
she heard the high giggles of the … young men — Louis Auchincloss
: raised , loud
“halt!” he called in a high voice
also : of or relating to those musical notes or tones in the three-line or thrice-accented octave especially in singing
she sang a high C easily
(4) : long past : ancient , remote
the use of which goes back … to a high antiquity — Edward Clodd
(5) : being far toward one of the poles with the equator as base — used chiefly in the phrase high latitude
(6) : being near the wind — used of a ship or its head when pointing close to the wind
(7) : being toward the middle or near the end of a series of compounds
higher alcohols containing six or more carbon atoms
(8) : having a complex organization : greatly differentiated or developed phylogenetically — usually used in the comparative degree of advanced types of animals and plants
the higher algae
the higher apes
(9) : sexually mature and active
high males of the species
(10) : exhausted of nearly all air or gas
high vacuum
c.
(1) : of relatively great degree, size, or amount
gambling for high stakes
unemployment was high
the high cost of living
enjoyed a high standard of living
moved at a high speed
going into the market at the time of high business — Samuel Johnson
an automobile engine having high compression
(2) : dear in price : expensive
everything is so high nowadays
(3) : violent , strong , vehement
a high wind came up
the high passions of this hour
: marked by high waves
a high sea
(4) : containing a relatively great amount
a food high in iron
(5) : having more value than another card
the queen is higher than the jack
: capable of taking a trick
the nine is high
(6) : giving the highest ratio of propeller-shaft to engine-shaft speed and the lowest multiplication of torque
a high transmission gear
in high gear
d.
(1) : intense , extreme
people of high anxiety — Vance Packard
high disfavor in her face — Edna Ferber
the boys were in high glee — H.A.Chippendale
the high brilliance of this gem
my … uncle's high disapproval — Joyce Cary
the high seriousness … and the sound scholarship which inform his work — C.I.Glicksberg
his hopes were high
(2) : rich , luxurious
indulged in a brief but reckless period of high living — H.M.Skala
(3) : marked by a pink or rosy glow or flush : florid
a large, personable window, with a … high complexion — Dorothy Sayers
a sturdy, handsome, high- colored woman — Carl Van Doren
also : bright , pronounced
fall styles in high shades — New York Times
high flesh tints play a major part in the tonal organization of the picture — Bernard Smith
(4) : strong-scented : slightly tainted
should cook game when it is high
also : malodorous , stinking
dead … had been there since yesterday, and they were plenty high — Shelby Foote
found their blankets a little high for civilized noses — Jackson Burgess
(5) : intensive
made their localities into symbols of high farming — A.W.Smith
the first systematic efforts at high breeding — E.D.Ross
2. : elevated or advanced in rank, quality, or character: as
a.
(1) : of exalted social or political standing : aristocratic , powerful
high society consisting of the Spaniards and Creoles of property — C.L.Jones
mainly concerned with Roman high life — William Murray
a high official of the government
(2) : of the first or great consequence : important , supreme
primarily a parliament is a high court of justice — A.F.Pollard
high preparations were necessary for this journey — Herbert Hoover
: grave , serious
a high insult
aroused high displeasure
: critical , climactic
at this high hour of Australia's history — W.F.Hambly
the high moments were the start in the freshness of morning — John Buchan
the high point of the novel is the escape
the high spot of the Republican doings will come Friday night — Spokane (Wash.) Spokesman-Review
(3) : relating to matters of the first importance : conducted on an exalted political or social level
offered a fertile field for high intrigue — Carl Bridenbaugh
born into the world of high politics
(4) : rating or ranking as best, first, or most eligible
the high man among entrants in the tryout
if a bidder should be the high bidder on a facility — U.S. Code
b.
(1) : morally or spiritually exalted : noble , edifying
a man of high character
met his death in the high Roman fashion — John Buchan
writing is a high calling — Cyril Connolly
good intent and high purpose are not enough — D.D.Eisenhower
high thinking and plain living
(2) : intellectually or artistically of the first order : excellent
the high tradition of the European fairy story and folk tale — British Book News
a theatrical production of high quality
(3) : preeminent among or surpassing other civilizations or societies by some criteria
the high civilizations of Middle America and the Andean Highlands — Holger Cahill
(4) : characterized by sublime, heroic, or stirring events or subject matter : intensely moving : exciting
a tale of high adventure
high romance and profound sympathy for the proletariat appear side by side in the poetry — Encyc. Americana
the act in which she faces her accusers is high drama
the high tragedy ends with both … dying but clasping each other's hands — Leslie Rees
(5) : depending not so much on situation as on fine characterization and witty dialogue
high comedy
(6) : conforming to some standard of correctness or excellence in speech or grammar
the high Arabic of the Koran — J.C.Swaim
(7) : not of the ordinary or routine sort : extravagant , boisterous
an hour for high … nonsense — Elinor Wylie
held high revelry at the castle that night
along with her went excitement and high occasion — Nadine Gordimer
c. : difficult to comprehend or master : recondite , abstruse
when it comes to philosophy, high thought, and the eternal verities — Bergen Evans
3.
a.
(1) : indicating or reflecting anger : wrathful
saw there were going to be high words — Dodie Smith
threatening them in very high language — George Willison
(2) : arrogant , overbearing , imperious
carry things with a high hand — John Buchan
you certainly take a very high tone — Louis Auchincloss
(3) : pretentious , ambitious
a high boast, but it is true — W.R.Inge
makes high claims for his invention
b.
(1) : zealous , eager , favorable , keen — usually used with on
is unusually high on her next venture — Lewis Funke
has been particularly high on him — Newsweek
(2) : extreme, devoted, or rigid in advocacy or practice especially in matters of doctrine or ceremony
hated as the leader of high toryism — British Book News
specifically usually capitalized : high church
c.
(1) : elated , gay , cheerful
she hadn't the high spirits which endear grown-ups to healthy children — Joseph Conrad
had a high old time together
his heart was high as he entered the old homestead
those were the high days — Sinclair Lewis
(2) : hysterically or feverishly excited or gay : keyed up
so high from nervous tension … they need half a dozen drinks to sober down — Alfred Bester
like a high patient after shock treatment — Joseph Hitrec
(3) : intoxicated , drunk
getting higher all the time by nipping at … martinis — Daniel Curley
high as a kite
also : excited or stupefied by a narcotic substance (as heroin)
Synonyms:
tall , lofty : high , the most general of these terms, implies marked extension upward, usually from a base or foundation, or placement at a conspicuous height above the ground or above some lower level taken as the norm
a high building
a high cliff
a high cupboard
In extension it is often used to indicate a great degree of what it modifies or to stress a certain moral elevation
a high color
a high volume of sound
a high purpose
tall applies to what rises or grows high by comparison with others of its kind, especially when it is small in breadth as compared to its height
a tall man
a tall flagpole
lofty , suggesting a greater, more imposing altitude than high or tall , has a much wider figurative than literal application carrying the idea of moral grandeur, dignity, or stature or of superciliousness
a lofty mountain
a lofty position in the church
a lofty plane of conversation
a lofty attitude toward servants
II. adverb
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English heghe, heye, highe, high, from Old English hēah, hēage, from hēah, adjective
: in a high manner: as
a.
(1) : at or to a great distance or altitude
after a cup of tea we walked a little higher — John Seago
climbed high on the ladder
the waves dashed high
— often used in combination
a high- climbing vine
(2) : far up toward the source
allow passage of … vessels as high as Albany — Herman Beukema
— usually used with up
lives high up the river
b. : in or to a high position, amount, or degree
prices have gone too high
that young man is aiming high
how high can one rise in this organization
delay had cost high in bitterness — Time
— often used in combination
a high- ranking official
c. : richly , luxuriously
has gay reunions … and lives high — J.W.Krutch
— often used in the phrases high off the hog or high on the hog
the new America is eating too high on the hog for its own good — Newsweek
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English hegh, hey, high, from hegh, hey, high, adjective
1. : an elevated place or region: as
a. : hill , knoll
flat as a table top, without a single high or low — Harold Sinclair
b. : the upper region : the space overhead : sky — usually used with on
each lifted on high his knife — A.C.Whitehead
watched the birds wheeling on high
c. : heaven — used with on
a judgment from on high — C.S.Kilby
d. : a region of high barometric pressure : anticyclone
2.
a. : a high point : a top level : height , acme
carrying snobbery to new … highs — Leslie Charteris
a high of 38 was due today … the weatherman forecast — Cleveland (Ohio) Plain Dealer
specifically : the highest price paid for a security during a specified period
the daily high
b. : the transmission gear giving the highest ratio of propeller-shaft to engine-shaft speed and the lowest multiplication of torque and consequently the highest speed of travel of an automotive vehicle
c.
(1) : the highest trump that has been dealt in any game of the all-fours family
(2) : the highest-ranking combination of upcards in stud poker
3. : people of a class regarded as socially superior
you find scoundrels among both the high and the low
4. : high school
she learned bookkeeping in high — John O'Hara
5. slang : the excited or stupefied state produced by a narcotic substance (as heroin)
IV. noun
: a state of elation or high spirits
the high of victory