high spotn.
/ˌhʌɪ ˈspɒt/, U.S. /ˈhaɪ ˌspɑt/ colloquial.
1. to hit the high spots and variants: to perform or rise to a very high level; to include or touch on the most important points or places.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [verb (intransitive)]
to be P and Q1612
to have everything1748
to hit the high spots1891
to be mustard1925
to be a box of birds1939
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > lack of moderation or restraint > act immoderately or without restraint [verb (intransitive)]
overdoa1325
outragea1387
surfeitc1400
outraya1450
exceed1488
lasha1560
overlash1579
overlaunch1579
wanton1631
extravagate1829
wallow1876
to hit the high spots1891
to go overboard1931
the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > outdoing or surpassing > outdo or surpass [verb (intransitive)] > go beyond bounds
overflowOE
overpassa1500
overreacha1568
to leap bounds1597
overruna1600
deborda1653
excur1656
slop1859
to hit the high spots1891
1891 Poultry World July 135/2 Always having something to sell means taking advantage of the entire market, and hitting every high spot that occurs in it throughout the year.
1928 Sunday Disp. 22 July 23/4 It looks as though the standard of racing is going to hit the high spots.
1949 N. Marsh Swing, Brother, Swing vi. 119 The first saxophone muttered something about hitting the high spots.
2013 Hull Daily Mail (Nexis) 20 Apr. 25 Then it's a few pints around town before we hit the high spots.
2. The most enjoyable or important part of an experience or period in time. Cf. highlight n. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > [noun] > that which is important > outstanding
jewel in the crown1615
jewel1673
prominence1826
salient point1841
highlight1850
high spot1894
salient1936
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > excellent part
flower1568
fine1829
high spot1894
1894 Twenty-third Ann. Rep. Woman's Baptist Foreign Missionary Soc. West 108 The soil is barren and hard beyond all conception, but thank the Lord, there were some high spots, and some good opportunities for sowing the Seed.
1926 Spectator 11 Sept. 373/1 Chicago was the ‘high-spot’ of the trip.
1964 Publishers' Weekly 28 Sept. 59 (heading) Religious books. Some Fall highspots, September through December.
1995 MOJO Feb. 89/4 The highspots are the homages, notably I'm So Proud and, best of all, Walk On By.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1891