Word: high Part of Speech: adj Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kewk- Proto-Indo-European *kówk-o-s Proto-Germanic *hauhaz Proto-West Germanic *hauh Old English hēah Middle English heigh English high From Middle English high, heigh, heih, from Old English hēah (“high, tall, lofty, high-class, exalted, sublime, illustrious, important, proud, haughty, deep, right”), from Proto-West Germanic *hauh (“high”), from Proto-Germanic *hauhaz (“high”), from Proto-Indo-European *kewk- (“to bend; crooked”). Cognates Cognate with Scots heich (“high”), Yola heegh, heigh, heighe, hia, hie (“high”), North Frisian hoog, huuch (“high”), Saterland Frisian hooch, hoog (“high”), West Frisian heech (“high”), Alemannic German hooch (“high”), Central Franconian huh (“high”), Cimbrian hoach, hòach (“high”), Dutch hoog (“high”), German hoch (“high”), German Low German hooch (“high”), Limburgish hoeg (“high”), Luxembourgish héich (“high”), Mòcheno heach (“high”), Vilamovian huch (“high”), Yiddish הויך (hoykh, “high”), Danish høj (“high”), Faroese háur, høgur (“high”), Gutnish haugar (“high”), Icelandic hár (“high”), Norwegian Bokmål høg, høy (“high”), Norwegian Nynorsk høg, håg, hå (“high”), Swedish hög (“high”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌷𐍃 (hauhs, “high”), Vandalic *oas (“high”), Old French haut (“high”) (from Old High German hoh (“high”)); also with Ancient Greek Καύκᾰσος (Kaúkăsos, “Caucasus”), Latvian koks (“tree”), Lithuanian kúoka (“stick with thick end, pounder, pestle”), Bulgarian ку́ка (kúka, “hook”), Albanian çukë (“peak, summit, top”). Pronunciation: /haɪ/, [haɪ̯] 1. Physically elevated, extending above a base or average level: Example: The balloon rose high in the sky. The wall was high. a high mountain Example: Upon the highest spray of every mounting pole, Those Quirristers are pearcht with many a speckled breast. 2. Physically elevated, extending above a base or average level: Example: She was like a Beardsley Salome, he had said. And indeed she had the narrow eyes and the high cheekbone of that creature, and as nearly the sinuosity as is compatible with human symmetry. His wooing had been brief but incisive. Example: A nightgown with a high neck and long sleeves may have the fullness set into a yoke. 3. Physically elevated, extending above a base or average level: Example: the pitch (or: the ball) was high 4. Physically elevated, extending above a base or average level: 5. Having a specified elevation or height; tall. Example: three feet high three Mount Everests high Example: I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite. 6. Elevated in status, esteem, or prestige, or in importance or development; exalted in rank, station, or character. Example: The oldest of the elves' royal family still conversed in High Elvish. Example: The Barnacles were a very high family, and a very large family. They were dispersed all over the public offices, and held all sorts of public places. 7. Elevated in status, esteem, or prestige, or in importance or development; exalted in rank, station, or character. Example: the high priest, the high officials of the court, the high altar 8. Elevated in status, esteem, or prestige, or in importance or development; exalted in rank, station, or character. Example: high crimes, the high festival of the sun 9. Elevated in status, esteem, or prestige, or in importance or development; exalted in rank, station, or character. Example: high (i.e. intense) heat; high (i.e. full or quite) noon; high (i.e. rich or spicy) seasoning; high (i.e. complete) pleasure; high (i.e. deep or vivid) colour; high (i.e. extensive, thorough) scholarship; high tide; high [tourism] season; the High Middle Ages Example: High time it is this war now ended were. 10. Elevated in status, esteem, or prestige, or in importance or development; exalted in rank, station, or character. Example: to hear and answer such high things Example: Plain living and high thinking are no more. 11. Extreme, excessive; now specifically very traditionalist and conservative. Example: high church High Tory Example: Furder, what wil you answeare for your keping a daye, cessation &c to St. Michael & al Angells? how wil you excuse your self of most high idolatrie, advancing your self in thinges you neuer sawe, rashlie puffed vp of your fleshlie minde, and not holding the heade, depriuing others of their Crowne? 12. Elevated in mood; marked by great merriment, excitement, etc. Example: in high spirits Example: 1970, Grateful Dead, High Time, on the album Workingman's Dead I was having a high time, living the good life. 13. Keen, enthused. Example: "Conversely, just because I am not high on positivity, it does not mean I am necessarily high on negativity." Example: I'm not that high about the relationship. 14. Intoxicated; under the influence of a mood-altering drug, formerly usually alcohol, but now (from the mid-20th century) usually not alcohol but rather marijuana, cocaine, heroin, etc. Labels: informal Example: "Three extremely high people showing up at the animal shelter like WE FOUND A DOG would be really funny, but..." Example: Ooh! Remember when you got high at McDonald's and told Gangle to kill herself? 15. Luxurious; rich. Example: high living, the high life Example: I was living the high lifestyle in famous sex clubs, relaxing on luxurious sofas, in the saunas and whirlpools, enjoying moments of excitement with my male and female companions while sipping champagne from crystal glasses. 16. Lofty, often to the point of arrogant, haughty, boastful, proud. Example: a high tone Example: An high looke, and a proud heart, […] is sinne. 17. With tall waves. Example: The sea is as high as ever. I shouldn't think any boat could put out today. 18. Remote (to the north or south) from the equator; situated at (or constituting) a latitude which is expressed by a large number. Example: high latitude, fish species in high arctic and antarctic areas Example: But other euphausiids, Euphausia crystallorophias, are found in the pack ice region of the high Antarctic as food of Blue and Minke Whales (Marr, 1956). E. vallentini is very important in the lower Antarctic region, around […] 19. Large, great (in amount or quantity, value, force, energy, etc). Example: My bank charges me a high interest rate. Example: I was running a high temperature and had high cholesterol. 20. Large, great (in amount or quantity, value, force, energy, etc). Example: Carrots are high in vitamin A. made from a high-copper alloy Example: Anyone can determine for himself whether certain wire is high carbon or not. Heat a piece of the wire red hot and while red plunge into water till cold. 21. Acute or shrill in pitch, due to being of greater frequency, i.e. produced by more rapid vibrations (wave oscillations). Example: The note was too high for her to sing. 22. Made with some part of the tongue positioned high in the mouth, relatively close to the palate. 23. Greater in value than other cards, denominations, suits, etc. Example: I have KT742 of the same suit. In other words, a K-high flush. Example: 9-high straight = 98765 unsuited 24. Greater in value than other cards, denominations, suits, etc. Example: North's hand was high. East was in trouble. Example: Cutler pushed forward the two necessary white chips. No one's hand was high, and Loomis made a slight winning. 25. Strong-scented; slightly tainted/spoiled; beginning to decompose. Example: Epicures do not cook game before it is high. Example: The tailor liked his meat high. 26. Near, in its direction of travel, to the (direction of the) wind. Example: NO NEARER! (arrive! Fr.) the command given by the pilot of quarter-master, to the helmsman, to steer the ship no higher to the direction of the wind than the sails will operate to advance the ship in her course. 27. Positioned up the field, towards the opposing team's goal. Example: Our defensive line is too high.