adjective | adverb | noun
highhigh1 /haɪ/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective 1
FROM BOTTOM TO TOP a)something that is high measures a long distance from its bottom to its top OPP low: They have a high wall around their backyard. Mount Rainier is Washington’s highest point. How high do you think that hill is? b)measuring a particular distance from bottom to top: ten feet/five yards etc. high The fountain shot a stream of water 15 feet high.2ABOVE THE GROUND in a position that is a long way, or a longer way than usual, above the ground, floor, etc. OPP low: I like apartments with high ceilings. She put the cookies on the highest shelf. There was a squirrel high up in the tree.3LARGE NUMBER large in amount, number, or level, or larger than usual OPP low: Who got the highest score? Temperatures will be in the high eighties. A car traveling at high speed drove through the intersection. She could no longer afford the high cost of living in the city. The cable company’s prices are too high. A high percentage of children have not learned geography. There is a higher rate of the disease amongst men.► see thesaurus at big, expensive4CONTAINING A LOT containing a lot of a particular substance, or having a lot of a particular quality: Pollution levels are too high.high in I stay away from foods that are high in fat.5RANK/POSITION having an important or powerful position in society or in an organization: People in the highest levels of management were at the meeting. I know a guy who’s high up in the Greenpeace organization. They’ve been trying to get into high office for years now. → see also have friends in high places at friend1 (8)6GOOD excellent in quality or standard: The fabric is of very high quality. The hotel is known for its high standards of service. I have a very high opinion of him. She has extremely high standards when it comes to food (=she only wants the best quality). I held all my college professors in high regard (=respected them very much). His high principles sometimes got in the way of his earning money (=strong beliefs that people should behave in a morally good way).7SOUND near the top of the range of sounds that humans can hear: I can’t sing the high notes. → see also high-pitchedTHESAURUShigh-pitched – higher than most sounds or voices: Laura still has the high-pitched voice of a little girl.piercing – very high and loud in a way that shocks you or hurts your ears: He could never forget the woman’s piercing scream.sharp – high, sudden, and loud: She gave a sharp cry of pain.shrill – high and unpleasant: The speaker’s shrill voice was giving me a headache.squeaky – making very high noises that are not loud: He tried to tiptoe across the squeaky floorboards.8be high on the list/agenda (also be a high priority) to be important, or need to be dealt with quickly: Democracy in the region will be high on the agenda of both meetings.9have high hopes/expectations to hope for or expect very good results or great success: Teachers should have high expectations for their students.10the high point/spot the best part of an activity or occasion: The victory was the high point of the baseball season.11EXTREME being the greatest or most extreme example or part of something: Abigail hoped to become a high-fashion model. He entertained the children with tales of high adventure. We had an afternoon of high drama (=very exciting events and situations).12ADVANCED advanced and often complicated: The world of high finance can be very stressful. Few question the benefits of high technology. Some higher animals such as apes show more complicated problem-solving skills (=animals, etc. that are more intelligent or advanced than others).13DRUGS [not before noun] behaving in an unusually excited or relaxed way because of taking drugs: the problem of kids getting high at school14high spirits feelings of happiness and energy, especially when you are having fun: Despite the rain, everyone was in high spirits.15it is high time somebody did something used to say that something should have been done already: It’s high time we stopped all these arguments.16be/get on your high horse to behave or talk as if you are better than other people: He gets on his high horse and starts telling people what to do.17high and mighty talking or behaving as if you think you are more important than other people: Don’t act so high and mighty!18leave somebody high and dry informal to leave someone without any help or without the things that he or she needs: Michael quit, leaving Elliot high and dry to run the new company.19a high wind a strong wind20HAPPY/EXCITED old-fashioned happy and excited21TIME [only before noun] the middle or the most important part of a particular period of time → see also high season[Origin: Old English heah] → see also high gear, highly, high seas, in high dudgeon at dudgeon adjective | adverb | noun
highhigh2 ●●● S2 W3 adverb 1ABOVE THE GROUND at or to a level high above the ground OPP low: Garbage had been piled high on the sidewalk.high into/above etc. Paula threw the ball high into the air. He held the trophy high above his head.2VALUE/COST/AMOUNT at or to a high value, cost, amount, etc. OPP low: Tom scored higher than anyone else in the class. The dollar climbed higher against the yen today.3SOUND with a high sound OPP low: I can’t sing that high.4ACHIEVEMENT to a high rank or level of achievement, especially in an organization, business, etc.: Sandy continued to rise higher in Zefco’s ranks.5look/search high and low to try to find someone or something by looking everywhere: We looked high and low for the dog but couldn’t find her. → hold your head up/high at hold1 (36), live high on the hog at live1 (25), see also be riding high at ride1 (4), be running high at run1 (41) adjective | adverb | noun
highhigh3 noun 1NUMBER/AMOUNT [countable] the highest number, level, temperature, etc. that has ever been recorded OPP low: hit/reach a high (of something) The shares hit a high of $36.75 last year.a new/record/all-time etc. high The price of oil reached a new high this week.2WEATHER [countable] a)the highest temperature in a particular day, week, month, etc., used in weather reports OPP low: Highs tomorrow will be in the mid-90s.high of Today we had a high of 70 degrees. b)an area of high pressure that affects the weather: another high moving in from the Atlantic3DRUGS [countable] a feeling of pleasure or excitement produced by some drugs: the high a user gets from cocaine4EXCITEMENT [countable usually singular] informal a feeling of happiness or excitement you get from doing something you enjoy: The team was on a high after winning the state championship.5MACHINE [uncountable] the position on the controls of a machine that makes it work hardest, go fastest, become the hottest, etc. OPP low: Set the fan to high. The toaster was on high, so the bagels burned.6High a short form of “high school,” used in the name of a school: I went to Reseda High.7from on high humorous from someone in a position of authority: an email from on high8on high biblical in, to, or from heaven or a high place