high

adjective, noun, adverb adjective (higher, highest) from bottom to top 1 measuring a long distance from the bottom to the top: What's the highest mountain in the US? * The house has a high wall all the way round it. * shoes with high heels * He has a round face with a high forehead. OPPLOW 2 used to talk about the distance that sth measures from the bottom to the top: How high is Everest? * It's only a low wall-about a metre high. * The grass was waist-high. * knee-high boots far above ground 3 at a level which is a long way above the ground or above the level of the sea: a high branch / shelf / window * The rooms had high ceilings. * streaks of high cloud * They were flying at high altitude. * the grasslands of the high prairies OPPLOW greater than normal 4 greater than normal in quantity, size or degree: a high temperature / speed / price * a high rate of inflation * Demand is high at this time of year. * a high level of pollution * a high standard of craftsmanship * a high risk of injury * A high degree of accuracy is needed. * We had high hopes for the business (= we believed it would be successful). * A high proportion of our staff are female. * The cost in terms of human life was high. * high (= strong) winds compareLOW(4) containing a lot 5 ~ (in sth) containing a lot of a particular substance OPPLOW: foods which are high in fat * a high potassium content rank / status 6 (usually before noun) near the top in rank or status: She has held high office under three prime ministers. * The case was referred to a higher court. * He has friends in high places (= among people of power and influence). OPPLOW valuable 7 of great value: to play for high stakes * My highest card is ten. ideals / principles 8 (usually before noun) morally good: a man of high ideals / principles approving 9 (usually before noun) showing a lot of approval or respect for sb: She is held in very high regard by her colleagues. * You seem to have a high opinion of yourself! OPPLOW sound 10 at or near the top of a musical scale; not deep or low: She has a high voice. * That note is definitely too high for me. OPPLOW of period of time 11 [onlybeforenoun] used to describe the middle or the most attractive part of a period of time: high noon * high summer food 12 (of meat, cheese, etc.) beginning to go bad and having a strong smell on alcohol / drugs 13 [notbeforenoun] ~ (on sth) (informal) behaving in an excited way because of the effects of alcohol or drugs seealsoHEIGHT IDIOMS be / get on your high horse (informal) to behave in a way that shows you think you are better than other people have a high old time (old-fashioned, informal) to enjoy yourself very much high and dry 1 (of a boat, etc.) in a position out of the water: Their yacht was left high and dry on a sandbank. 2 in a difficult situation, without help or money high and mighty (informal) behaving as though you think you are more important than other people high as a kite (informal) behaving in a very excited way because of being strongly affected by alcohol or drugs high days and holidays festivals and special occasions in high dudgeon (old-fashioned, written) in an angry or offended mood, and showing other people that you are angry: He stomped out of the room in high dudgeon. * She stormed out in high dudgeon. smell, stink, etc. to high heaven (informal) 1 to have a strong unpleasant smell 2 to seem to be very dishonest or morally unacceptable moreatHELL, MORALadj., ORDERn., PROFILEn., TIMEn.