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HIGH
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A forward gear with a gear ratio that gives the greatest vehicle velocity for a given engine speed
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("high" is a kind of...):
gear; gear mechanism (a mechanism for transmitting motion for some specific purpose (as the steering gear of a vehicle))
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "high"):
overdrive (a high gear used at high speeds to maintain the driving speed with less output power)
Holonyms ("high" is a part of...):
auto; automobile; car; machine; motorcar (a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A lofty level or position or degree
Example:
summer temperatures reached an all-time high
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("high" is a kind of...):
degree; grade; level (a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality)
Antonym:
low (a low level or position or degree)
Derivation:
high ((literal meaning) being at or having a relatively great or specific elevation or upward extension (sometimes used in combinations like 'knee-high'))
Sense 3
Meaning:
A public secondary school usually including grades 9 through 12
Example:
he goes to the neighborhood highschool
Synonyms:
high; high school; highschool; senior high; senior high school
Classified under:
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects
Hypernyms ("high" is a kind of...):
Gymnasium; lycee; lyceum; middle school; secondary school (a school for students intermediate between elementary school and college; usually grades 9 to 12)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Example:
he doesn't like heights
Synonyms:
heights; high
Classified under:
Nouns denoting spatial position
Hypernyms ("high" is a kind of...):
place; spot; topographic point (a point located with respect to surface features of some region)
Derivation:
high ((literal meaning) being at or having a relatively great or specific elevation or upward extension (sometimes used in combinations like 'knee-high'))
Sense 5
Meaning:
A state of altered consciousness induced by alcohol or narcotics
Example:
they took drugs to get a high on
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("high" is a kind of...):
elation (an exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism; an absence of depression)
Derivation:
high (slightly and pleasantly intoxicated from alcohol or a drug (especially marijuana))
Sense 6
Meaning:
Example:
I'm on a permanent high these days
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("high" is a kind of...):
elation (an exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism; an absence of depression)
Antonym:
low spirits (a state of mild depression)
Derivation:
high (happy and excited and energetic)
Sense 7
Meaning:
An air mass of higher than normal pressure
Example:
the east coast benefits from a Bermuda high
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("high" is a kind of...):
air mass (a large body of air with uniform characteristics horizontally)
Holonyms ("high" is a part of...):
anticyclone ((meteorology) winds spiraling outward from a high pressure center; circling clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern)
II. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Happy and excited and energetic
Synonyms:
high; in high spirits
Classified under:
Similar:
elated (exultantly proud and joyful; in high spirits)
Derivation:
high (a state of sustained elation)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Slightly and pleasantly intoxicated from alcohol or a drug (especially marijuana)
Synonyms:
high; mellow
Classified under:
Similar:
drunk; gone; inebriated; intoxicated; ripped (stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol))
Derivation:
high (a state of altered consciousness induced by alcohol or narcotics)
Sense 3
Meaning:
(used of the smell of meat) smelling spoiled or tainted
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
ill-smelling; malodorous; malodourous; stinky; unpleasant-smelling (having an unpleasant smell)
Sense 4
Meaning:
(literal meaning) being at or having a relatively great or specific elevation or upward extension (sometimes used in combinations like 'knee-high')
Example:
a foot high
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
altitudinous (indefinitely high; lofty)
commanding; dominating; overlooking (used of a height or viewpoint)
eminent; lofty; soaring; towering (of imposing height; especially standing out above others)
high-altitude; high-level (occurring at or from a relative high altitude)
high-stepped; high-stepping (having or moving with a high step)
high-top; high-topped ((of shoes or boots) having relatively high uppers)
steep (of a slope; set at a high angle)
upper (higher in place or position)
Also:
up (being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level)
top (situated at the top or highest position)
tall (great in vertical dimension; high in stature)
Attribute:
height; tallness (the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top)
Antonym:
low (literal meanings; being at or having a relatively small elevation or upward extension)
Derivation:
high (a lofty level or position or degree)
high (a high place)
highness (the quality of being high or lofty)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
Example:
he has a high opinion of himself
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
soaring (ascending to a level markedly higher than the usual)
last; utmost (highest in extent or degree)
higher (advanced in complexity or elaboration)
higher (of education beyond the secondary level)
graduate; postgraduate (of or relating to studies beyond a bachelor's degree)
broad; full (being at a peak or culminating point)
advanced (at a higher level in training or knowledge or skill)
Also:
superior (of or characteristic of high rank or importance)
Attribute:
degree; grade; level (a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality)
Antonym:
low (less than normal in degree or intensity or amount)
Derivation:
highness (a high degree (of amount or force etc.))
Sense 6
Meaning:
Used of sounds and voices; high in pitch or frequency
Synonyms:
high; high-pitched
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
tenor ((of a musical instrument) intermediate between alto and baritone or bass)
tenor (of or close in range to the highest natural adult male voice)
sopranino (higher in range than soprano)
soprano; treble (having or denoting a high range)
screaky; screechy; squeaking; squeaky; squealing (having or making a high-pitched sound such as that made by a mouse or a rusty hinge)
sharp; shrill (having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones)
peaky; spiky (having or as if having especially high-pitched spots)
falsetto (artificially high; above the normal voice range)
alto; countertenor (of or being the highest male voice; having a range above that of tenor)
alto ((of a musical instrument) second highest member of a group)
altissimo (very high)
adenoidal; nasal; pinched (sounding as if the nose were pinched)
Attribute:
pitch (the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration)
Antonym:
low (used of sounds and voices; low in pitch or frequency)
Sense 7
Meaning:
Standing above others in quality or position
Example:
eminent members of the community
Synonyms:
eminent; high
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
superior (of or characteristic of high rank or importance)
Derivation:
highness (a high degree (of amount or force etc.))
III. (adverb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Example:
he climbed high on the ladder
Synonyms:
high; high up
Classified under:
Sense 2
Meaning:
Example:
he lives high up the river
Classified under:
Sense 3
Meaning:
In or to a high position, amount, or degree
Example:
prices have gone up far too high
Classified under:
Adverbs
Sense 4
Meaning:
Example:
he lives high
Synonyms:
high; luxuriously; richly
Classified under:
Adverbs
Context examples:
Being exposed to high levels of acetone may irritate the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs.
(Acetone, NCI Dictionary)
It was a merry, joyous party, and no one seemed in higher spirits than Captain Wentworth.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
Terms at the highest level of the MedDRA terminology.
(Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities System Organ Class, NCI Thesaurus)
It provides protection if you pay high drug costs or have unexpected prescription drug bills.
(Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
People with certain changes in the gene for melanotropin receptor have a higher risk of developing melanoma (skin cancer that begins in melanocytes).
(Melanotropin receptor, NCI Dictionary)
They cause the glands to secrete high levels of hormones, which can lead to other medical problems, such as kidney stones, fertility problems, and severe ulcers.
(MEN1 syndrome, NCI Dictionary)
Exposure to high levels can damage the brain and kidneys.
(Mercury, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry)
I should think it must have been as much as seven feet high.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
A taxonomic phylum within kingdom Bacteria consisting of gram-positive soil bacteria with a high G+C ratio.
(Actinobacteria, NCI Thesaurus)
A substance being studied in the prevention of breast cancer in women at high risk of breast cancer.
(Acolbifene hydrochloride, NCI Dictionary)