high waters: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Colloquial, Informal, Humorous (for clothing); Formal/News (for flooding).
Quick answer
What does “high waters” mean?
Trousers that are too short, ending well above the ankles.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Trousers that are too short, ending well above the ankles.
A situation of flooding, or clothing conspicuously short for the wearer, suggesting growth or poor fit.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK uses 'floods' more commonly for short trousers. US predominantly uses 'high waters' or 'highwaters' for clothing; 'high water' (singular) for flooding.
Connotations
UK: 'Floods' is slightly old-fashioned. US: 'High waters' often implies a child has outgrown their clothes or a fashion faux pas.
Frequency
More frequent in American English for the clothing sense. In UK, the term is understood but less common.
Grammar
How to Use “high waters” in a Sentence
wear + high watershigh waters + are + ADJlook like + high watersVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “high waters” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- He's got a high-waters look about him.
American English
- He wore some highwater pants to the party.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in manufacturing/retail: 'The shipment of trousers had a defect, resulting in high waters.'
Academic
Rare. Possibly in historical texts about fashion or flood geology.
Everyday
Common for humorously describing a child's outgrown clothes or a fashion mistake.
Technical
In hydrology: 'High water mark' is technical; 'high waters' is non-technical for flooding events.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “high waters”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “high waters”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “high waters”
- Using 'high water' (singular) for trousers. Confusing with 'high tide'. Using in overly formal contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is commonly written as two words ('high waters'), though the clothing sense is sometimes hyphenated ('high-waters') or written as one word ('highwaters'), especially in American English.
Yes, but it's less common than 'high water' (singular) for flooding. 'High waters' in this sense is a non-technical, plural form describing a state of flooding.
Not inherently, but it is colloquial and often used humorously or teasingly. It could be insensitive if used to mock someone's economic situation.
'Floods' is the closest equivalent, though it's somewhat dated. Britons would likely say 'too-short trousers' or 'ankle-swingers'.
Trousers that are too short, ending well above the ankles.
High waters is usually colloquial, informal, humorous (for clothing); formal/news (for flooding). in register.
High waters: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhaɪ ˈwɔːtəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhaɪ ˈwɔːt̬ɚz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “caught with your high waters down (playful variant)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a child wading in deep WATER, and their trousers ride up HIGH, becoming 'high waters'.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLOTHING IS A TIDE (trousers that are 'high' like receding water, exposing the leg).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'high waters' most commonly used in American English?