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Glite Dictionary
high jinks

high jinks

5 7.6
Fun, slightly naughty behavior that can cause trouble at parties
  • noun
  • /haɪ dʒɪŋks/
  • Informal
translation icon : travesuras
  • Their high jinks involved jumping into the pool fully clothed and splashing everyone.
  • high jinks ensue
  • youthful high jinks
  • comic high jinks

They're quite content staying in the locker room popping towels and playing games and high jinks.

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Examples

  • Every summer, the kids get together for high jinks that make the neighborhood feel lively.

  • Your library high jinks made the morning paper.

    Kill Your Darlings (2013)

  • This is no time for any of your funny high jinks.

    Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983)

  • Well, the high jinks are over for the night.

    Blood of Dracula (1957)

  • I enjoy almost all forms of parody, buffoonery, and general high jinks.

    Blog text (30)

  • This time the other explanation was all too plain: high jinks in the penthouse of the Georges Cinq Hotel.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • It's mostly about the interconnected storylines of the guests who stay there and just all the different high jinks and shenanigans that they that they get into.

  • Scenes of family high jinks abound, including frantic dinner-table discussions laced with double entendre.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The high jinks at the party included silly games and laughter that lasted all night.

Synonyms

hijinks
vshigh jinks
  • Informal
8 7.5

Playful, noisy pranks that make people laugh

is used particularly for lively mischievous behavior at parties
hell-raising
vshigh jinks
  • Informal
2 8.4

Noisy, wild actions that cause trouble or excitement

is more about playful lively mischief at celebrations rather than causing real trouble
mischievousness
vshigh jinks
1 4.6

Playful actions that cause small harmless trouble for fun

refers to lively mischievous activities rather than a general personal trait
jinks
vshigh jinks
  • Informal
9.5

Loud, playful activities that are silly and a bit naughty

is applied to lively mischief especially in social celebrations
antics
vshigh jinks
3.1

Funny or silly actions that try to make people laugh

focuses more on lively mischievous activity at parties and celebrations
prankishness
vshigh jinks
8.4

A liking for doing playful, slightly naughty tricks on other people

is broader covering lively party mischief beyond only trick behavior
high-spiritedness
vshigh jinks
6.0

A lively, cheerful energy that makes people feel happy

includes playful mischief and party focus, not just cheerful energy
over-the-top antics
vshigh jinks
  • Informal
7.2

Loud exaggerated actions meant to get attention or make people laugh

is milder and more playful at celebrations rather than excessively theatrical
loony antics
vshigh jinks
  • Informal
8.4

Silly, wild actions people do to get attention

is mischievous and festive in tone rather than simply wild or foolish

Antonyms

seriousness
53 2.7

A calm and honest way of speaking or acting that shows you mean what you say

sober
44 4.6

Serious and sensible in behavior or tone

How Playful

high jinks
  • Informal
5 7.6
playfulness
8 2.5
fun
∞ 1.0
amusement
65 1.2

Surface Forms

high jinks singular
high jinks plural

Morphology

high + jinks

The meaning is directly built from 'high' (intense/exuberant) modifying 'jinks' (noisy, playful antics), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it denotes especially lively or mischievous behavior. Although 'jinks' is somewhat rare or dialectal in modern usage, the adjective+noun intensification pattern is regular and thus the phrase is compositionally transparent.

Etymology

High jinks may come from older words where 'jinks' meant jokes or tricks and 'high' showed very lively action. Picture people jumping around and playing pranks at a party, and you have the image — that's why high jinks now means 'playful, mischievous activity'.