high

high

I

high¹ S1 W1 /haɪ/ adjective (comparative higher, superlative highest)
1.  FROM BOTTOM TO TOP measuring a long distance from the bottom to the top
   OPP  low:
    This is the highest mountain in Japan.
    The camp was surrounded by a high fence.
    100 feet/30 metres etc high
    waves up to 40 metres high
    a ten-foot high statue
    How high is the Eiffel Tower?
    chest/waist/knee etc high (=as high as your chest etc)
    The grass was knee-high.
  ► Do not use high to describe people, animals, trees, and plants. Use tall: You’re getting very tall (NOT You’re getting very high). | a tall palm tree (NOT a high palm tree)
2.  ABOVE GROUND in a position that is a long way, or a longer way than usual, above the ground, floor etc
   OPP  low:
    The apartment had spacious rooms with high ceilings.
    a high shelf
    high altitudes
    The sun was already high in the sky.
    High up among the clouds, we saw the summit of Everest.
3.  LARGE NUMBER a high amount, number, or level is large, or larger than usual
   OPP  low:
    Temperatures remained high for the rest of the week.
    Lower-paid workers often cannot afford the high cost of living in the capital.
    high level/degree/rate etc (of something)
    High levels of car use mean our streets are more congested than ever.
    high crime rates
    high interest rates
    high price/charge/tax etc
    If you want better public services, you’ll have to pay higher taxes – it’s as simple as that.
    The train was approaching at high speed.
    high proportion/percentage etc (of something) (=a very large part of a number)
    A high proportion of women with children under five work full-time.
4.  GOOD STANDARD a high standard, quality etc is very good
   OPP  low:
    a high performance computer
    high quality
    a range of high quality goods at low prices
    Our aim is to provide the highest quality service to all our customers.
    high standard (=very good levels of work, achievement, behaviour etc)
    The general standard of the entries was very high.
    Our guests expect us to maintain high standards.
5.  CONTAINING A LOT containing a lot of a particular substance or quality
   OPP  low
    high in something
    Choose foods that are high in fiber and low in calories.
    a high sugar/salt/fibre etc content
    Red meat tends to have a high fat content.
6.  RANK/POSITION having an important position in society or within an organization
   OPP  low:
    a high rank in the US Navy
    the City’s highest honour
    high up (=in a powerful position)
    someone high up in the CIA
    high office (=an important position)
    Both of them held high office in the Anglican Church.
    high society (=rich people of the highest social class) ⇨ high-class, high-ranking, high-up, ⇨ friends in high places at friend(11)
7.  ADVANCED  [only before noun] advanced and often complicated:
    We can offer all the benefits of the latest high technology.
    the world of high finance
    the higher animals/mammals/organisms etc (=animals etc that are more intelligent or advanced than others)
8. high opinion/regard/praise etc strong approval of someone or something, or an expression of strong approval:
    I’ve always had a high opinion of her work.
    hold somebody/something in high esteem/regard (=respect them very much)
    As an educationalist, he was held in very high esteem.
    Romsey earned high praise from his boss.
9. high priority (also high on the list/agenda) important and needing to be done or dealt with quickly:
    Most people feel that education needs to be given higher priority.
    Arms control is high on the agenda.
10. high hopes/expectations when someone hopes or expects that something will be very good or successful:
    My expectations of the place were never very high, but I didn’t think it would be this bad.
    have high hopes/expectations
    Like many young actors, I had high hopes when I first started out.
11.  SOUND near or above the top of the range of sounds that humans can hear
   OPP  low:
    I always had difficulty reaching the high notes (=when singing).
    a high squeaky voice ⇨ high-pitched
12. high point (also high spot) British English an especially good part of an activity or event:
    The visit to the ancient capital city was one of the high points of the tour.
13. high ground
  a. an area of land that is higher than the area surrounding it:
    Villagers herded the livestock to high ground to keep them safe during the floods.
  b. a better, more moral, or more powerful position in an argument or competition:
    Neither side in this conflict can claim the moral high ground.
14. high spirits feelings of happiness and energy, especially when you are having fun:
    It was a bright sunny day and we set off in high spirits.
    I don’t think they intended any harm – it was just high spirits.
15.  HAPPY/EXCITED  [not before noun] happy and excited:
    I was still high from the applause.
16.  DRUGS  [not before noun] behaving in a strange and excited way as the result of taking drugs
    high on
    Most people there were high on cocaine.
    get high (=take a drug to make yourself high)
    Steve was as high as a kite (=strongly affected by drugs or alcohol).
17.  SEA/RIVER having risen to a high level
   OPP  low:
    The river is at its highest in spring. ⇨ high tide
18. it is high time somebody did something used to say that something should be done now:
    It’s high time you got a job.
19.  TIME the middle or the most important part of a particular period of time:
    high summer
    high noon (=12 o'clock in the middle of the day) ⇨ high season
20. high wind a strong wind
21. high alert a situation in which people are told to be ready because there is a strong possibility of an attack or of something dangerous happening
    put/place somebody on high alert
    Troops were put on high alert.
22. high life/living the enjoyable life that rich and fashionable people have:
    We’re all stuck here, while he’s off living the high life in New York.
23. high drama/adventure very exciting events or situations:
    a life with moments of high drama
24. end/finish/begin etc (something) on a high note to end, finish something etc in a successful way:
    The team finished their tour on a high note in Barbados.
25. high principles/ideals ideas about personal behaviour based on the belief that people should always behave in an honest and morally good way:
    a man of high moral principles
26. high and mighty talking or behaving as if you think you are better or more important than other people:
    Don’t get high and mighty with me.
27. be/get on your high horse to give your opinion about something in a way that shows you think you are definitely right and that other people are wrong:
    If she’d get down off her high horse for a moment, she might realize there’s more than one point of view here.
28.  FOOD British English cheese, meat etc that is high is not fresh and has a strong smell or taste
29. high days and holidays British English special occasions
30. high complexion/colouring British English a naturally pink or red face
31. in high dudgeon formal in an angry or offended way – often used humorously
32.  LANGUAGE
  a. high style/register British English a very formal style of language, especially used in literature
  b. high German/Dutch etc a form of a language used for formal purposes that is often different from the ordinary form used by most people
⇨ highly, ⇨ stink to high heaven at stink¹(1)
     

THESAURUS

■ buildings/mountains etc
   ▪ high measuring a long distance from the bottom to the top – used about mountains, walls, and buildings: the highest mountain in the world | The castle was surrounded by high walls. | a high cliff | The council told the architects the tower was too high.
   ▪ tall high – used about people, trees, plants, and buildings. Tall is used especially about things that are high and narrow: tall marble columns | A cat was hiding in the tall grass. | a tall modern building
   ▪ majestic especially written very impressive because of being very big and tall – used about mountains, buildings, trees, and animals: the majestic mountains of the Himalayas | The abbey is noted for its majestic arches, fine doorways and elegant windows. | The cathedral looked majestic in the evening light.
   ▪ soaring [only before noun] especially written used about a building or mountain that looks extremely tall and impressive: a soaring skyscraper | the soaring towers of the palace
   ▪ towering [only before noun] especially written extremely high, in a way that seems impressive but also often rather frightening: The sky was shut out by the towering walls of the prison. | towering trees
   ▪ lofty [usually before noun] literary very high and impressive – used in literature: the lofty peaks in the far distance
   ▪ high-rise [usually before noun] a high-rise building is a tall modern building with a lot of floors containing apartments or offices: a high-rise apartment block | He works in a high-rise office in New York.
■ COLLOCATIONS CHECK
   ▪ high mountain/building/wall/fence
   ▪ tall person/tree/plant/building/tower/statue
   ▪ majestic mountain/building/tree/animal
   ▪ soaring building/tower/mountain
   ▪ towering wall/tree/mountain/building
   ▪ lofty building/mountain/tree/heights
   ▪ high-rise building
■ sounds
   ▪ high-pitched higher than most sounds or voices: He has a rather high-pitched voice. | Bats make high-pitched squeaks. | the high-pitched whine of a dentist's drill
   ▪ shrill high and unpleasant: Her voice became more shrill. | The bird has rather a shrill cry.
   ▪ piercing extremely high and loud, in a way that is unpleasant: a piercing scream | Suddenly I heard a piercing whistle.
   ▪ squeaky making very high noises that are not loud: a squeaky gate | squeaky floorboards | a squeaky little voice

II

high² S3 adverb1.  ABOVE THE GROUND at or to a level high above the ground, the floor etc
   OPP  low:
    He kicked the ball high into the air, over the heads of the crowd.
    high above/into etc
    Hotel Miramar is situated high above the bay.
    A ski lift whisks you high into the mountains.
2.  VALUE/COST/AMOUNT at or to a high value, cost, amount etc
   OPP  low:
    If prices shoot up any higher, no one will be able to afford to live in the area.
    Tom scored higher than anyone else in the class.
3.  SOUND with a high sound:
    A strange cry rang high into the night.
4.  ACHIEVEMENT at or to a high rank or level of achievement, especially within a company
   OPP  low:
    It seems that the higher you rise, the less time you have to actually do your job.
    My parents always encouraged me to aim high.
5. (leave somebody/something) high and dry
  a. if someone is left high and dry, they are left without any help or without the things that they need
  b. if a boat, area etc is left high and dry, it is left on land because the water that surrounded it has gone down:
    The once-thriving port of Rye was left high and dry as sea levels retreated.
6. look/search high and low to try to find someone or something by looking everywhere:
    We looked high and low for Sandy but couldn’t find her.
⇨ hold your head high at hold¹(16), ⇨ live high on the hog at live¹(26), ⇨ be riding high at ride¹(6), ⇨ run high at run¹(28)

III

high³ noun [countable]1.  NUMBER/AMOUNT the highest price, number, temperature etc that has ever been recorded, or that has been recorded within a particular period of time:
    Highs of 40°C were recorded in the region last summer.
    a new/record/ten-year etc high
    The price of oil reached a new high this week.
2.  EXCITEMENT informal a feeling of great happiness or excitement:
    They’re bound to be on a high after such an incredible victory.
    the emotional highs and lows of a new romance
3.  DRUGS a feeling of pleasure or excitement produced by some drugs
4.  WEATHER an area of high pressure that affects the weather
5.  SCHOOL a short form of high school, used in the name of a school:
    Benjamin Franklin High
6. from on high from someone in a position of authority – used humorously:
    An order came from on high.
7. on high formal
  a. at a high temperature as measured by an electric oven etc:
    Microwave on high for eight minutes.
  b. formal in a high place or heaven:
    An angel came from on high.