High Commission
2
6.4
- noun
- UK
:
Alta Comisión
- The French apologized, informing the State Department that Kozlowski had been instructed to send any further requests through the French High Commission.
- French High Commission
Examples
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He would determine this status by checking the nominal lists the French High Commission submitted two weeks prior to departure.
Academic text (1991) -
My name is Justin Quayle from the High Commission.
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I'm from the British High Commission.
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On my first visit to India in 1958, I called on a senior officer of the economic section of the British High Commission.
Academic text (1998) -
Jamshid, pack those up and have them sent to the High Commission.
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In turn, the State Department informed the French High Commission of the breach in protocol.
Academic text (1991) -
The Indian High Commission then had to get the process cleared through the Government of India from New Delhi.
Blog text (29) -
Staff at the High Commission are sensitive to any claim that the UK is stealing Ghana's doctors to work in its own health service.
Academic text (2001) -
Calls to the Nigerian Embassy in Bern and to the Nigerian High Commission in London were to no avail, since neither office had received word of the matter from Lagos and hence could not become involved.
Academic text (1991) -
The High Commission in London assists citizens from Commonwealth countries with visa applications.
Synonyms
574
3.3
A building and people who represent their country in a foreign country
13
3.9
A group of people sent by one country to represent it in another at an embassy or consulate
3
9.9
A permanent diplomatic office in another country led by a minister rather than an ambassador
A permanent office in another country that represents its government and helps with official relations
Surface Forms
Morphology
Although a learner may know 'high' and 'commission' individually, their literal meanings (elevated + mandate/committee) do not directly signal 'a diplomatic mission' or 'embassy'. The term is an institutional, historically specific Commonwealth usage and is therefore idiomatic and unpredictable from its parts for a B1 learner.
Etymology
High Commission comes from the picture of a high official who has a commission, or special job, to speak and act for their country. That's why the name is used for an official office that works like an 'embassy' between countries in the 'Commonwealth'.