high jinks
C1Informal
Definition
Meaning
Boisterous fun, playful or rowdy activities, often involving tricks or spirited merrymaking.
A situation characterized by lively, chaotic, or mischievous entertainment, sometimes with an element of risk or unruly behavior.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Historically refers to a specific 17th-century drinking game involving dice; now signifies any noisy, lively, and often disruptive fun. Often implies a group activity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both forms ('jinks' / 'jinx') are used in both varieties, but 'high jinks' is the dominant, more established spelling in the UK. US usage more readily accepts 'hi-jinks' or 'hijinks' as variant spellings.
Connotations
Similar in both: connotations of harmless, exuberant fun, though can imply a degree of mischief or mild trouble-making.
Frequency
Used in both varieties, but slightly more common in British English; considered a somewhat dated or literary term in modern informal American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [noun phrase] was/were full of high jinks.High jinks ensued/erupted/broke out.Their/Our high jinks [verb phrase, e.g., 'got them into trouble'].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Get up to high jinks”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in a retrospective or humorous description of a team-building event gone awry.
Academic
Very rare. Possibly in historical or cultural studies describing social behavior.
Everyday
Most common in informal speech and writing to describe noisy, fun, possibly mischievous group activities.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The lads were high-jinking their way through the festival.
- (Rare)
American English
- (Rarely used as a verb)
adverb
British English
- (Not standard)
American English
- (Not standard)
adjective
British English
- (Not standard)
American English
- (Not standard)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children's high jinks made the house very noisy.
- The film shows the high jinks of a group of friends on holiday.
- After the exams, the students engaged in some late-night high jinks that woke up the neighbours.
- The memoir recounted the bohemian high jinks of the artists' quarter in the 1920s, a mix of creative fervor and drunken revelry.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'HIGH' spirits and the 'JINKS' sound of glasses clinking during a lively, fun party.
Conceptual Metaphor
PLAYFUL ACTIVITY IS PHYSICAL AGITATION/UPROAR.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить буквально. 'Высокие джинксы' бессмысленно. Близкие понятия: 'буйное веселье', 'озорство', 'проделки', 'шалости'.
Common Mistakes
- Spelling as one word 'hijinks' (in UK English, often considered a variant). Using it for a single, quiet act of mischief instead of a series of boisterous activities.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following situations is LEAST likely to be described as 'high jinks'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually treated as a plural noun (e.g., 'The high jinks were getting out of hand'), though it can sometimes be used as an uncountable singular in certain constructions (e.g., 'There was a lot of high jinks').
No, 'low jinks' is not a standard antonym. The 'high' in 'high jinks' refers to the high spirits involved, not a physical position.
Yes, especially in American English. 'High jinks' (two words) is the more traditional and British-preferred form, but 'hijinks' (one word) is a common modern variant.
Not necessarily. It primarily implies energetic, playful fun. The connotation can be positive (harmless fun) or slightly negative (mischievous or disruptive behavior), depending on context.