high
A1 (Extremely High Frequency)Neutral (used in all registers from informal to formal)
Definition
Meaning
Having a great vertical extent; measuring a long distance from the bottom to the top.
Of great degree, intensity, quantity, or amount; elevated in status, quality, or importance; at or near the peak of a state or condition; (of sound) pitched at a high frequency.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"High" is polysemous. Its primary spatial meaning is often extended metaphorically across domains: degree (high temperature), status (high office), quality (high standards), intensity (high speed), and altered states (high on drugs). It forms a continuum with "low" and "tall" (typically used for people and thin objects).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. In UK English, 'high street' is the standard term for a town's main shopping street, equivalent to US 'main street'. In UK legal/parliamentary contexts, 'High Court' is standard. Drug-related sense is equally common in both.
Connotations
Generally identical. Connotations of excellence, importance, and superiority are primary. The drug-related sense is informal/slang.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties. The spatial and metaphorical uses are core vocabulary.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[BE] high in + NOUN (e.g., high in protein)[BE] high on + NOUN (e.g., high on the agenda)[V] + high (e.g., aim high, fly high)[ADJ] + and + high (e.g., safe and sound, high and dry)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “high and dry”
- “high and mighty”
- “on a high note”
- “for the high jump”
- “high as a kite”
- “high five”
- “in high dudgeon”
- “high time”
- “run high”
- “high roller”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to performance, value, costs, and stakes (e.g., 'high yield', 'high turnover', 'operating at a high level').
Academic
Used for degree, intensity, and statistical measures (e.g., 'high correlation', 'high probability', 'higher-order thinking').
Everyday
Primarily spatial and descriptive of degree/amount (e.g., 'high shelf', 'high price', 'high score').
Technical
In sciences, denotes magnitude on a scale (e.g., 'high voltage', 'high frequency', 'high pressure'); in computing, 'high-level language'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The pheasants will high into the air when startled.
- (Archaic/rare) They would high their banners in defiance.
American English
- (Rare/Dialectal) The prices are expected to high again next quarter.
adverb
British English
- The plane flew high above the clouds.
- He aims high in his career ambitions.
- They were climbing high into the mountains.
American English
- The eagle soared high in the sky.
- She set her sights high from the start.
- Prices have risen high this year.
adjective
British English
- They have a very high opinion of her work.
- We faced particularly high winds during the storm.
- It's on the high street, next to the chemist's.
American English
- The high cost of living is a major concern.
- She has a high standard for her employees.
- It's on Main Street, right next to the drugstore.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The mountain is very high.
- She has a high voice.
- The ball went high in the air.
- The cost of the ticket is too high for me.
- He achieved a high score on the test.
- Temperatures are expected to be high tomorrow.
- The company maintains high ethical standards.
- Emotions were running high after the controversial decision.
- He's in high spirits since getting the promotion.
- The debate centred on the high-minded principles of the treaty.
- The drug's efficacy was demonstrated in a high-powered clinical trial.
- Her promotion placed her in the highest echelons of management.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a kite flying HIGH in the sky. The word itself sounds like a sigh of awe when looking up at something tall: 'Hi...gh!'
Conceptual Metaphor
MORE IS UP / GOOD IS UP / STATUS IS VERTICAL ELEVATION (e.g., high hopes, high society, high standards).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Russian 'высокий' covers 'high' and 'tall', but English distinguishes 'tall' for people/buildings. 'High' for abstract concepts (high temperature) is often translated as 'сильный' or 'большой'. 'High time' does not translate literally; it means 'давно пора'. 'High' (drugs) is slang, not 'на высокой'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'high' for people (use 'tall'). Confusing 'high' with 'height' (noun). Overusing 'very high' instead of stronger synonyms like 'excessive' or 'extreme'. Incorrect preposition: 'high of quality' instead of 'high quality' or 'high in quality'.
Practice
Quiz
In which phrase does 'high' NOT relate to a positive abstract quality?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Use 'tall' for people, trees, and buildings when referring to their height from bottom to top. Use 'high' for things that are far above the ground (high shelf, high ceiling) or for abstract/non-physical concepts (high price, high hopes). Mountains can use both, but 'high' is more common for elevation.
Yes, but it's less common. It can mean a high point, level, or figure (e.g., 'Sales reached a new high'), or an area of high atmospheric pressure (e.g., 'A high is moving in from the west'). Informally, it refers to a state of euphoria, often drug-induced.
It is neutral and used across all registers. However, specific idioms (e.g., 'high as a kite') and the drug-related meaning are informal. In technical and academic writing, it is used precisely (e.g., 'high frequency', 'high significance').
Common patterns: 'high in' (content/quality: high in fibre), 'high on' (priority/list: high on the agenda), 'high above/over' (position: high above the city). 'High of' is incorrect for quality; use 'high' as an adjective directly before the noun (high quality) or 'high in'.
Collections
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Basic Adjectives
A1 · 46 words · Fundamental describing words used every day.