Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
High
High
,Adj.
[
Com
par.
Higher
; sup
erl.
Highest
.] [OE.
high
, hegh
, hey
, heh
, AS. heáh
, h[GREEK]h
; akin to OS. h[GREEK]h
, OFries. hag
, hach
, D. hoog
, OHG. h[GREEK]h
, G. hoch
, Icel. h[GREEK]r
, Sw. hög
, Dan. höi
, Goth. hauhs
, and to Icel. haugr
mound, G. hügel
hill, Lith. kaukaras
.] 1.
Elevated above any starting point of measurement, as a line, or surface; having altitude; lifted up; raised or extended in the direction of the zenith; lofty; tall;
as, a
high
mountain, tower, tree; the sun is high
.(b)
Exalted in social standing or general estimation, or in rank, reputation, office, and the like; dignified;
as, she was welcomed in the
. highest
circles(d)
Of great strength, force, importance, and the like; strong; mighty; powerful; violent; sometimes, triumphant; victorious; majestic, etc.;
“With rather a high manner.” as, a
. high
wind; high
passionsThackeray.
Strong is thy hand, and
high
is thy right hand. Ps. lxxxix. 13.
Can heavenly minds such
high
resentment show? Dryden.
(e)
Very abstract; difficult to comprehend or surmount; grand; noble.
Both meet to hear and answer such
high
things. Shakespeare
(f)
Costly; dear in price; extravagant; as, to hold goods at a high price.
(g)
Arrogant; lofty; boastful; proud; ostentatious; – used in a bad sense.
An
high
look and a proud heart . . . is sin. Prov. xxi. 4.
His forces, after all the
high
discourses, amounted really but to eighteen hundred foot. Clarendon.
3.
Possessing a characteristic quality in a supreme or superior degree;
as,
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) color; high
(i. e., extensive, thorough) scholarship, etc.High
time it is this war now ended were. Spenser.
High
sauces and spices are fetched from the Indies. Baker.
4.
(Cookery)
Strong-scented; slightly tainted;
as, epicures do not cook game before it is
. high
5.
(Mus.)
Acute or sharp; – opposed to
grave
or low
; as, a
. high
note6.
(Phon.)
Made with a high position of some part of the tongue in relation to the palate, as ē (ēve), oō (foōd). See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 10, 11.
High admiral
, the chief admiral.
– High altar
, the principal altar in a church.
– High and dry
, out of water; out of reach of the current or tide; – said of a vessel, aground or beached.
– High and mighty
arrogant; overbearing.
[Colloq.]
– High art
, art which deals with lofty and dignified subjects and is characterized by an elevated style avoiding all meretricious display.
– High bailiff
, the chief bailiff.
– High Church
, and Low Church
two ecclesiastical parties in the Church of England and the Protestant Episcopal Church. The high-churchmen emphasize the doctrine of the apostolic succession, and hold, in general, to a sacramental presence in the Eucharist, to baptismal regeneration, and to the sole validity of Episcopal ordination. They attach much importance to ceremonies and symbols in worship. Low-churchmen lay less stress on these points, and, in many instances, reject altogether the peculiar tenets of the high-church school. See
– Broad Church
. High constable
(Law)
, a chief of constabulary. See , 2.
– Constable
, Noun.
High commission court
, a court of ecclesiastical jurisdiction in England erected and united to the regal power by Queen Elizabeth in 1559. On account of the abuse of its powers it was abolished in 1641.
– High day
(Script.)
, a holy or feast day.
John xix. 31.
– High festival
(Eccl.)
, a festival to be observed with full ceremonial.
– High German
, or High Dutch
See under
– German
. High jinks
, an old Scottish pastime; hence, noisy revelry; wild sport.
[Colloq.]
“All the high jinks of the county, when the lad comes of age.” F. Harrison.
– High latitude
(Geog.)
, one designated by the higher figures; consequently, a latitude remote from the equator.
– High life
, life among the aristocracy or the rich.
– High liver
, one who indulges in a rich diet.
– High living
, a feeding upon rich, pampering food.
– High Mass
. (R. C. Ch.)
See under
– Mass
. High milling
, a process of making flour from grain by several successive grindings and intermediate sorting, instead of by a single grinding.
– High noon
, the time when the sun is in the meridian.
– High place
(Script.)
, an eminence or mound on which sacrifices were offered.
– High priest
. See in the Vocabulary.
– High relief
. (Fine Arts)
See
– Alto-rilievo
. High school
. See under School
. High seas
(Law)
, the open sea; the part of the ocean not in the territorial waters of any particular sovereignty, usually distant three miles or more from the coast line.
Wharton.
– High steam
, steam having a high pressure.
– High steward
, the chief steward.
– High tea
, tea with meats and extra relishes.
– High tide
, the greatest flow of the tide; high water.
– High time
. (a)
Quite time; full time for the occasion.
(b)
A time of great excitement or enjoyment; a carousal.
[Slang]
– High treason
, treason against the sovereign or the state, the highest civil offense. See
Treason
.
Syn. – Tall; lofty; elevated; noble; exalted; supercilious; proud; violent; full; dear. See
Tall
. High
,adv.
In a high manner; in a high place; to a great altitude; to a great degree; largely; in a superior manner; eminently; powerfully.
“And reasoned high.” Milton.
“I can not reach so high.” Shak.
☞ High is extensively used in the formation of compound words, most of which are of very obvious signification; as, high-aimed, high-arched, high-aspiring, high-bearing, high-boasting, high-browed, high-crested, high-crowned, high-designing, high-engendered, high-feeding, high-flaming, high-flavored, high-gazing, high-heaped, high-heeled, high-priced, high-reared, high-resolved, high-rigged, high-seated, high-shouldered, high-soaring, high-towering, high-voiced, and the like.
High and low
, everywhere; in all supposable places;
as, I hunted
. high and low
[Colloq.]
High
,Noun.
1.
An elevated place; a superior region; a height; the sky; heaven.
2.
People of rank or high station;
as,
. high
and low3.
(Card Playing)
The highest card dealt or drawn.
High, low, jack, and the game
, a game at cards; – also called
– all fours
, old sledge
, and seven up
. In high and low
, utterly; completely; in every respect.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
– On high
, aloft; above.
The Most High
, the Supreme Being; God.
High
,Verb.
I.
To rise;
as, the sun
. higheth
[Obs.]
Webster 1828 Edition
High
HIGH
,Adj.
1.
Extending a great distance above the surface of the earth; elevated; lofty; of great altitude; as a high mountain; a high tower.2.
Rising, or having risen, or being far above the earth; elevated; lofty; as a high flight; the clouds are high in the atmosphere.3.
Elevated above the horizon; as, how high is the sun? It is an hour high.4.
Raised above any object. High o'er their heads a moldering rock is placed.
5.
Exalted in nature or dignity. The highest faculty of the soul.
6.
Elevated in rank, condition or office. We speak of high and low; of a high office; high rank; high station; a high court.7.
Possessing or governed by honorable pride; noble; exalted; magnanimous; dignified; as a man of a high mind.8.
Exalted in excellence or extent. Solomon lived at ease, nor aimed beyond
Higher design than to enjoy his state.
9.
Difficult; abstruse. They meet to hear, and answer such high things.
10. Boastful; ostentatious.
His forces, after all the high discourses, amounted really but to eighteen hundred foot.
11. Arrogant; proud; lofty; loud.
The governor made himself merry with his high and threatening language.
12. Loud; boisterous; threatening or angry. The parties had very high words.
13. Violent; severe; oppressive.
When there appeareth on either side a high hand, violent persecution. &c.
14. Public; powerful; triumphant; glorious; or under divine protection.
The children of Israel went out of Egypt with a high hand. Ex.14.
15. Noble; illustrious; honorable; as a man of high birth.
16. Expressive of pride and haughtiness; as high looks. Is.10.
17. Powerful; mighty.
Strong is thy hand, high is thy right hand. Ps.89.
18. Possessed of supreme power, dominion or excellence.
Thou, Lord, art high above all the earth. Ps.97.
19. Great; important; solemn; held in veneration.
For that sabbath-day was a high day. John 19.
20. Violent; rushing with velocity; tempestuous; as a high wind.
21. Tumultuous; turbulent; inflamed; violent; as high passions.
22. Full; complete. It is high time to retire.
It is high time to awake from sleep. Rom.13.
23. Raised; accompanied by, or proceeding from great excitement of the feelings; as high pleasure of body or mind.
24. Rich; luxurious; well seasoned; as high fare; high living; high sauces.
25. Strong; vivid; deep; as a high color.
26. Dear; of a great price, or greater price than usual; as, to purchase at a high rate; goods are high.
27. Remote from the equator north or south; as a high latitude.
28. Remote in past time; early in former time; as high antiquity.
29. Extreme; intense; as a high heat.
30. Loud; as a high sound. but more generally,
31. In music, acute; sharp; as a high note; a high voice; opposed to low or grave.
32. Much raised; as high relief [alto relievo.]
33. Far advanced in art or science; as high attainments.
34. Great; capital; committed against the king, sovereign or state; as high treason, distinguished from petty treason, which is committed against a master or other superior.
35. Great; exalted; as a high opinion of one's integrity.
High church and low church, in Great Britain, a distinction introduced after the revolution. The high church were supposed to favor the papists, or at least to support the high claims to prerogative, which were maintained by the Stuarts. The low church entertained more moderate notions, manifested great enmity to popery, and were inclined to circumscribe the royal prerogatives. This distinction is now less marked, but not wholly obliterated.
High day, high noon, the time when the sun is in the meridian.
High Dutch, is the German language, as distinguished from Low Dutch or Belgic, or the cultivated German, as opposed to the vulgar dialects.
HIGH
,Noun.
On high, aloud.
1.
Aloft.