highˈ-hatˈ noun

1. Orig a wearer of a top hat
2. A snob or aristocrat (informal)
3. A person who puts on airs (informal)
4. /hīˈhat/ a pair of cymbals on a stand, the upper one operated by a pedal so as to strike the lower one (also hiˈ-hat)

adjective

Affectedly superior

intransitive verb

To put on airs

transitive verb

To adopt a superior attitude towards or to ignore socially

highˈ-heartˈed adjective

Full of courage

highˈ-heeledˈ adjective

Having or wearing high heels

High Holidays or High Holy Days plural noun

The Jewish festivals of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

high hurdles singular noun

A hurdle race in which the obstacles are 107cm (42in) high

high'-im'pact adjective

1. (of a material such as plastic) strong enough to withstand great impact
2. Denoting exercises, esp aerobics, in which both feet leave the ground at the same time

highjack, highjacker see under hijack

high jinks plural noun

1. Boisterous play, jollity
2. An old Scottish tavern game in which people played various parts under penalty of a forfeit

high jump noun

1. (a field event consisting of) a jump over a high bar
2. Punishment, a severe reproof, esp in the phrase be for the high jump

highˈ-key adjective

(of paintings and photographs) having pale tones and very little contrast

high kick noun

A dancer's kick high in the air, usu with a straight leg

highˈ-kiltˈed adjective

1. Having the skirt tucked up high
2. Indecorous

highˈland noun

1. A mountainous district
2. (with cap; in pl) the north-west of Scotland, bordered geologically by the great fault running from Dumbarton to Stonehaven, or, ethnologically, the considerably narrower area in which Gaelic is, or was until recently, spoken

adjective

Belonging to or characteristic of a highland, esp (usu with cap) the Highlands of Scotland

Highland cattle plural noun

A shaggy breed of cattle with very long horns

Highland dress or Highland costume noun

Kilt, plaid and sporran

highˈlander noun

An inhabitant or native of a mountainous region, esp (with cap or Highˈlandman) of the Highlands of Scotland

Highland fling noun

A lively solo dance of the Scottish Highlands

Highland Games plural noun

An event consisting of competitions in athletic sports, bagpiping, traditional dancing, etc held in the Scottish Highlands or by Scots in other places

highˈ-levˈel adjective

At a high level, esp involving very important people

high-level language noun (computing)

A computer-programming language that allows a user to employ instructions in a form similar to natural language rather than using machine code

high-level waste noun

Nuclear waste requiring continuous cooling to remove the heat produced by radioactive decay

high life noun

1. The life of fashionable society
2. The people of this society
3. A blend of traditional W African music and N American jazz, popular in W Africa

highˈlight noun

1. An outstanding feature
2. (in pl) the most brightly-lit spots
3. The most memorable moments
4. (usu in pl) a portion or patch of the hair that reflects the light or that is artificially made lighter than the rest of the hair

transitive verb (pap and pat highˈlighted)

1. To throw into relief by strong light
2. To draw attention to or point out
3. To overlay (parts of a text) with a bright colour, for special attention
4. To add highlights to (a person's hair)

highˈlighter noun

1. A broad-tipped felt pen for highlighting parts of a text, etc
2. A cosmetic used to emphasize features on the face

high living noun

Luxurious living

highˈ-lone adverb (Shakespeare)

Quite alone

highˈ-low noun (archaic; often pl)

An ankle-high shoe fastened in front

highly-strungˈ adjective

Nervously sensitive, excitable

highly tried adjective (horse-racing)

Tested in experienced company

highˈ-mainˈtenance adjective

1. Requiring a high degree of care to remain in working order
2. Demanding of care and attention (informal)

highˈman noun (pl highˈmen)

A loaded die

High Mass noun

A mass celebrated with music, ceremonies and incense

highˈ-mettˈled adjective

High-spirited, fiery

highˈ-mindˈed adjective

1. Having a high, proud or arrogant mind (rare)
2. Having lofty principles and thoughts

highˈ-mindˈedness noun

high-muck-a-muck noun see separate entry.

highˈ-neckedˈ adjective

(of a garment) covering the shoulders and neck

high noon noun

1. Exactly noon
2. The peak (figurative)

high-occupancy vehicle noun

A vehicle carrying two or more people, sometimes entitled to preferential toll rates or to use dedicated road lanes

highˈ-ocˈtane adjective

(of petrol) of high octane number and so of high efficiency (also figurative)

highˈ-pitchedˈ adjective

1. Acute in sound, tending towards treble
2. (of a roof) steep
3. Lofty-toned

highˈ-place noun (Bible)

An area of high ground on which idolatrous rites were performed by the Jews, hence the idols, etc themselves

highˈ-placed adjective

1. Having a high place
2. Placed high

high places plural noun

Positions of importance and usu influence

high point noun

1. The most memorable, pleasurable, successful, etc moment or occasion
2. A high spot

high polymer noun

A polymer of high molecular weight

highˈ-powˈered adjective

1. Very powerful
2. Very forceful and efficient

highˈ-pressˈure adjective

1. Making or allowing use of steam or other gas at a pressure much above that of the atmosphere
2. Involving intense activity, stressful
3. Forceful, persuasive

highˈ-pricedˈ adjective

Costly

high priest noun

A chief priest

high priestess noun

highˈ-priestˈhood noun

highˈ-priestˈly adjective

highˈ-prinˈcipled adjective

Of high, noble or strict principle

high profile noun

A conspicuous position

highˈ-proˈfile adjective

Prominent, public

highˈ-proof adjective

1. Proved to contain much alcohol
2. Highly rectified

highˈ-raised or highˈ-reared adjective

1. Raised aloft
2. Elevated

highˈ-ranker noun

highˈ-ranking adjective

1. Senior
2. Eminent

highˈ-reachˈing adjective

1. Reaching upwards
2. Ambitious

high relief noun

Bold relief, standing out well from the surface

highˈ-resoluˈtion adjective

(of a computer monitor, TV screen, etc) showing an image in great detail by using a large number of dots per unit area

highˈ-rise adjective

(of modern buildings) containing a large number of storeys

noun

Such a building

highˈ-riskˈ adjective

1. Vulnerable to some sort of danger
2. Potentially dangerous

highˈroad noun

1. One of the public or chief roads
2. A road for general traffic

highˈ-rollˈer noun

1. A plunging spendthrift
2. A person who gambles for high stakes

highˈ-rollˈing noun

high school noun

A secondary school, often one that was formerly a grammar school

high seas plural noun

The open ocean

high season noun

The peak tourist period

highˈ-seaˈsoned or highˈly-seaˈsoned adjective

Made rich or piquant with spices or other seasoning

highˈ-set adjective

Placed or pitched high

high shoe noun (archaic)

A boot not reaching far above the ankle

highˈ-sightˈed adjective (Shakespeare)

Looking upwards, supercilious

high sign noun (N American)

A signal, often surreptitious, of warning or indicating that it is safe to proceed

high society noun

Fashionable, wealthy society

highˈ-souled adjective

Having a high or lofty soul or spirit

highˈ-soundˈing adjective

1. Pompous
2. Imposing

high spec adjective

Of a high standard of design and workmanship

highˈ-speed adjective

Working, or suitable for working, at a great speed

high-speed steel noun

An alloy that remains hard when red-hot, suitable for metal-cutting tools

highˈ-spirˈited adjective

1. Having a high spirit or natural fire
2. Bold
3. Daring
4. Cheerful

high spirits plural noun

A happy, exhilarated frame of mind

high spot see under spot

highˈ-steppˈer noun

1. A horse that lifts its feet high from the ground
2. A person of imposing bearing or fashionable pretensions

highˈ-steppˈing adjective

highˈ-stickˈing noun

The offence in ice hockey of wielding the blade of the hockey stick above the height allowed

highˈ-stomˈached adjective (Shakespeare)

Proud-spirited, lofty, obstinate

High Street noun

1. (sometimes without caps) a common name for the main, or former main, shopping street of a town
2. (with the) shops generally, the everyday marketplace

highˈ-street adjective

Typical of or readily found in high streets

highˈ-strung adjective (esp N American)

Highly-strung

high table noun

The dons' table in a college dining-hall

highˈtail intransitive verb

To hightail it (see below)

highˈ-tapˈer noun

Hag-taper, the great mullein

highˈ-tastˈed adjective

Having a strong, piquant taste or relish

high tea noun

An early-evening meal comprising a hot dish followed by cakes, etc and tea

high tech or hi tech noun

A style or design of furnishing, etc imitative of or using industrial equipment

highˈ-tech or hiˈ-tec adjective

high technology noun

Advanced, sophisticated technology in specialist fields, eg electronics, involving high investment in research and development

highˈ-tenˈsion adjective

High-voltage

highˈ-test adjective

(of petrol) boiling at comparatively low temperature and so of high performance

high tide noun

1. High water
2. A tide higher than usual
3. A great festival (rare)

high time noun

1. Quite time (that something were done)
2. A time of jollity

high toby see under toby

highˈ-toned adjective

1. High in pitch
2. Morally elevated
3. Superior, fashionable

highˈ-top noun (Shakespeare)

A masthead

high tops plural noun

Training shoes which extend above the ankles

high treason noun

Treason against the sovereign or state

highˈ-up noun

Someone in high position (also adjective)

high-vacˈuum adjective (electronics)

(of a system) so completely evacuated that the effect of ionization on its subsequent operation may be neglected

highˈ-velocˈity adjective

(of shells) propelled at high speed with low trajectory

highˈ-viced adjective (Shakespeare)

Enormously wicked

highˈ-volˈtage adjective

Of or concerning a high voltage, one great enough to cause injury or damage

high water noun

1. The time at which the tide or other water is highest
2. The greatest elevation of the tide

highˈ-waˈter mark noun

1. The highest line so reached
2. A tidemark
3. Highest point

highˈway noun

1. A public road on which all have right to go
2. The main or usual way or course
3. A road, path or navigable river (law)
4. See bus (computing)

Highway Code noun

(the booklet containing) official rules and guidance on correct procedure for road users

highˈwayman noun

A robber who attacks people on the public way

highway patrol noun (N American).

high-wing monoplane noun

An aircraft with the wing mounted on or near the top of the fuselage

high wire noun

A tightrope stretched exceptionally high above the ground

high words plural noun

Angry altercation

highˈwrought adjective

1. Wrought with exquisite skill
2. Highly finished
3. Elaborate
4. Worked up, agitated

for the high jump (informal)

1. About to be reprimanded or chastised
2. About to be hanged

from on high

From a high place, heaven, or (facetiously) a position of authority

high and dry

1. Up out of the water
2. Stranded, helpless

high and low

1. Rich and poor
2. Up and down
3. Everywhere

high and mighty (ironic)

1. Exalted
2. Arrogant

high as a kite (informal)

Over-excited, drunk, or very much under the influence of drugs

high life below stairs

Servants' imitation of the life of their employers

high old time (informal)

A time of special jollity or enthusiasm

hightail it (informal, esp N American)

To hurry away

hit the high spots

1. To go to excess
2. To reach a high level

on high

1. Aloft
2. In heaven

on one's high horse

1. In an attitude of fancied superiority
2. Very much on one's dignity

on the high ropes (informal)

In an elated or highly excited mood

running high see under feel