high and mightyadj.n.

1400 Ld. Grey of Ruthin Let. June in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. I. 3 Right heigh and myghty Prynce, my goode and gracious Lorde.

1423 in Hist. MSS Comm.: 15th Rep.: App. Pt. VIII: MSS Duke of Buccleuch & Queensberry (1897) 33 in Parl. Papers (C. 8553) L. 207 Ane he and mychty lord, George of Dunbare, Erl of the March.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxix Right high & mightie prince, right puyssaunt and noble kyng.

1580 J. Bell tr. J. Foxe Pope Confuted f. 20^v That you should with pollicy preuent or with power put to flight the most high and mightie God.

1610 tr. C. Morillon Funerall Pompe sig. A2 The funerall pompe celebrated at the buriall of the high and mighty Prince, Henry King of France and Nauar.

1694 E. Phillips tr. J. Milton Lett. of State 182 Most High and Mighty Lords, our dearest Friends.

1712 J. Gay Mohocks i. 3 We swear true Fealty, and firm Allegiance To our most High and Mighty Emperor.

1772 R. Warner tr. Plautus Carthaginian iii. i, in B. Thornton et al. tr. Plautus Comedies IV. 321 Bespeak us fair; or, high and mighty Sir, We want not courage to attack the wealthy.

1858 P. J. Bailey Age 171 Her high and mighty Majesty Christine.

1887 W. C. Sawyer Compl. German Man. 237 Most Serene, Most High and Mighty Emperor and King!

1901 Proclam. in Timely Topics 1 Feb. 340/1 To publish and proclaim that the high and mighty Prince Albert Edward is now, by the death of our late sovereign of happy memory, become our only lawful and rightful liege lord [as Edward VII.].

1986 B. Erskine Lady of Hay vii. 64 I have asked you here that you may hear a command from the high and mighty King Henry regarding the Welshmen in Gwent.

1633 J. Shirley Bird in Cage iv. sig. H^v Most high and mighty Nonsence, sure the King has swallow'd Pilles, and his stomacke not able to digest 'em, does vomit 'em up againe.

1654 R. Whitlock Ζωοτομία 83 Book-learned Physitians, against which they bring in their high and mighty word Experience.

1771 J. Woodforde Diary 23 Jan. (1981) I. 104 The Doctor seems high and mighty but sensible.

1825 J. W. Croker Diary Nov. in Croker Papers (1885) I. 298 Lord Grey, in his high and mighty way, was proceeding to make light of all this.

1854 W. M. Thackeray Newcomes I. xxiv. 229 Some of those bankers are as high and mighty as the oldest families.

1882 F. W. P. Jago Anc. Lang. & Dial. Cornwall Taunt, pert, ‘high and mighty’, saucy.

1924 ‘R. Daly’ Outpost xx. 191 A high and mighty gentleman is Mr. Whelan nowadays! Seems to think I'm only an off-sider.

1962 ‘C. Marchant’ Heritage of Folly vii. 214 Not that many a time I didn't feel like conking you off 'cos of your high and mighty airs and graces.

2002 Time Out N.Y. 29 Aug. 156/2 This show proves that he isn't too high and mighty to give a new jack a leg up.

1576 H. Kerton tr. Pope Innocent III Mirror Mans Lyfe ii. xxx. sig. G.vi The hyghe and myghtie, dothe rule in the kingdome of menne, and gyueth it to whome so euer hee will.

1660 Rope for Pol 30 An Irish Factour delivered a Letter to the High and Mighties at the Hague.

1678 S. Butler Hudibras: Third Pt. iii. iii. 211 Restor'd the fainting High and Mighty With Brandy-Wine and Aqua-vitae.

1778 Plan of Re-union Great Brit. & Colonies 168 As soon as these new high and mighties are fixed in the sovereignty of the West Indian colonies, proclamation will be issued for every proprietor to return to his plantation.

1875 S. Evans In Studio 18 What of Homer's serene High-and-mighties Whom he packed off to glory pell-mell?

1905 G. B. Shaw in Grand Mag. Feb. 116 Our high and mighties didn't exactly see the point.

1998 C. Barker Galilee iii. vii. 123 The trouble is none of you high and mighties gives a fuck.

1609 G. Benson Serm. 7 May 76 As though the Lord cared for the high and mighty and not for the lowly and deiected.

1668 R. Steele Husbandmans Calling iv. 54 To be a publick Good is the highest pitch of happiness in this world, and herein only the High and Mighty have the advantage of the poor Husbandman.

1752 London Mag. Nov. 512/1 Timothy Bennet's station in the world is but low, and his fortune small, yet he has a spirit equal..to the high and mighty.

1765 H. Brooke Fool of Quality (Dublin ed.) I. iv. 100 I have no Quarrel, I cried, to the high and mighty my Lords the Merchants.

1804 M. Wilmot Let. 24 Apr. in M. Wilmot & C. Wilmot Russ. Jrnls. (1934) i. 94 The High and Mighty then go into..another little room well heated.

1860 C. R. Kennedy Francis Beaumont i. i. 3 The high and mighty of the earth thou scarest.

1932 Princeton Alumni Weekly 1 Apr. 580/1 The high and mighty and élite are supposed to be above ‘things of this earth’.

1995 Daily Express 17 Mar. 14/2 It was yet another day of triumph for Gerry Adams yesterday as he rubbed shoulders with America's high and mighty.

2003 H. J. Gans Democracy & News iii. 48 Journalism proceeds on the assumption that if it reports the activities of the high and mighty, citizens have the information they need to perform their democratic roles.

1924 J. Galsworthy White Monkey ii. ii. 126 Mr. Mont's a gent..no high-and-mighty about him.