Men must high them apace, and make haste.
Holland.
High (?), a. [Compar. Higher (?); superl. Highest.] [OE. high, hegh,
hey, heh, AS. he·h, h&?;h; akin to OS. h&?;h, OFries. hag, hach, D.
hoog, OHG. h&?;h, G. hoch, Icel. h&?;r, Sw. hˆg, Dan. hˆi, Goth. hauhs,
and to Icel. haugr mound, G. h¸gel hill, Lith. kaukaras.] 1. Elevated
above any starting point of measurement, as a line, or surface; having
altitude; lifted up; raised or extended in the direction of the zenith;
lofty; tall; as, a high mountain, tower, tree; the sun is high.
2. Regarded as raised up or elevated; distinguished; remarkable;
conspicuous; superior; -- used indefinitely or relatively, and often in
figurative senses, which are understood from the connection; as --
(a) Elevated in character or quality, whether moral or intellectual;
preÎminent; honorable; as, high aims, or motives. "The highest faculty
of the soul." Baxter.
(b) Exalted in social standing or general estimation, or in rank,
reputation, office, and the like; dignified; as, she was welcomed in
the highest circles.
He was a wight of high renown.
Shak.
(c) Of noble birth; illustrious; as, of high family.
(d) Of great strength, force, importance, and the like; strong; mighty;
powerful; violent; sometimes, triumphant; victorious; majestic, etc.;
as, a high wind; high passions. "With rather a high manner." Thackeray.
Strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
Ps. lxxxix. 13.
Can heavenly minds such high resentment show?
Dryden.
<! p. 693 !>
(e) Very abstract; difficult to comprehend or surmount; grand; noble.
Both meet to hear and answer such high things.
Shak.
Plain living and high thinking are no more.
Wordsworth.
(f) Costly; dear in price; extravagant; as, to hold goods at a high
price.
If they must be good at so high a rate, they know they may be safe
at a cheaper.
South.
(g) Arrogant; lofty; boastful; proud; ostentatious; -- used in a bad
sense.
An high look and a proud heart . . . is sin.
Prov. xxi. 4.
His forces, after all the high discourses, amounted really but to
eighteen hundred foot.
Clarendon.
3. Possessing a characteristic quality in a supreme or superior degree;
as, high (i. e., intense) heat; high (i. e., full or quite) noon; high
(i. e., rich or spicy) seasoning; high (i. e., complete) pleasure; high
(i. e., deep or vivid) color; high (i. e., extensive, thorough)
scholarship, etc.
High time it is this war now ended were.
Spenser.
High sauces and spices are fetched from the Indies.
Baker.
4. (Cookery) Strong-scented; slightly tainted; as, epicures do not cook
game before it is high.