on high
18
7.4
- idiom
- Literature
:
eufórico
- The king receives advice from those who are on high in the court.
- on high alert
- on high stakes
- on high-stakes testing
What it was was that my entire system was still on high alert from that accident.
- What it was was that my entire system was still on high alert from that accident.
- Because I would imagine you would just be on high alert the entire time, ready to go.
- Ladies and gentlemen, tonight in Washington, DC, the city is on high alert.
- A lot of that on edge, vigilant monitoring, being careful about what you say and do, and just being on high alert.
- And they hate all the budget cuts and the top down on high regulations that have come, including all the testing.
Examples
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I told you before, orders from on high.
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The nation remains on high alert.
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Despite the lack of recent attacks, the city remains on high alert.
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O magic powers from up on high, bring us fries.
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Force protection condition Delta is activated, placing all worldwide US military personnel on high alert.
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O God, our Father, as you sit on high and look down on us poor mortals, forgive our frailties.
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After months of protests, police will be on high alert, closing surrounding streets, and setting up barricades for crowds that could reach in the thousands.
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Serizawa has all sites on high alert, so transmitting emergency codes now.
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Like a sentinel on high, they overlook the revelers and establish themselves as protectors of the community.
Academic text (2012) -
After winning the championship, the team felt on high with excitement and joy.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
In a higher place or moving to a higher level
29
2.8
Feeling very happy and successful
20
2.3
At a great height above the ground
10
9.0
A state of great excitement and happiness, sometimes from drinking alcohol or taking drugs
4
3.0
Feeling very happy and full of energy
Antonyms
How Elevated
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal spatial sense ('located at a high place') is directly derivable from 'on' + 'high' and a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand that meaning. However, extended uses (e.g. 'from on high' as 'from heaven' or authority, or metaphorical elevated emotion) are more idiomatic/metaphorical and not fully predictable without exposure, so the item is only partially transparent.
Etymology
On high creates the picture of something up above, like on a hill, the top floor, or in the sky, with high meaning 'up'. That's why when people say something is on high, it can mean 'in a high place', 'from above' or 'feeling very excited'.