High Holy Day
2
7.8
- noun
- /haɪ hoʊli deɪ/
:
día sagrado
- Many families gather together for special meals during the High Holy Day celebrations.
- observe the High Holy Days
- Jewish High Holy Days
Examples
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Being Orthodox and genuinely pious, he could not ride in a car on the Sabbath or High Holy Days.
Fiction book (1990) -
Since coming to America, he had been to synagogue a great many times, but only on the Sabbath or the High Holy Days, not in the middle of the week.
Fiction book (1998) -
How can you transport that feeling into the High Holy Day season?
Blog text (25) -
For them, the High Holy Days were work.
Blog text (13) -
On the High Holy Days, we take time to reflect on our lives and our choices.
Blog text (23) -
Now that we've made it through the High Holy Days, I'd like to take this class to address a pair of emotionally charged topics.
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Immediately, the Jewish students realize that their first competition will take place on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year and a High Holy Day.
Academic text (2011) -
He rarely went to Sabbath services, only occasionally to High Holy Day services.
Fiction book (1996) -
On the High Holy Days, the color of the grown-ups' clothes was always neutral, like the Newark landscape.
Fiction book (1990) -
Today, Michael Oren, Israel's Ambassador to the United States, spoke during High Holy Day services at Town & Village synagogue in Manhattan.
Blog text (30)
Synonyms
2
6.8
One of the two most important Jewish holy days, Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, that Jews observe seriously
A religious holiday in the Jewish tradition, like Passover or Yom Kippur
How Important
2
7.8
3
4.1
1
2.0
458
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built from 'high' (important/supreme) + 'holy' (sacred) + 'day' (a day of observance), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer it means an especially important sacred/religious day. Although the capitalized term refers specifically to certain Jewish holidays (cultural detail learners may need exposure to), the basic meaning is directly derivable from the parts.
Etymology
High Holy Day comes from the idea that High means 'most important', Holy means 'sacred', and Day means a special day for prayer. It refers to the two main Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when people gather at the synagogue to pray and sometimes fast, so the phrase means a very important, solemn religious day.