the high road
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- idiom
:
actuar con dignidad
- But thanks again for taking the high road in this discussion.
- take the high road
You got to make sure you stay on the High Road, so to speak.
- You got to make sure you stay on the High Road, so to speak.
- So from that standpoint and really going back to our first episode in the pivot, right, we took the High Road.
- Well, this is just one way of, of proceeding with the High Road strategies are really important.
- I guess that's the take of being the High Road, right, 'cause you didn't say, hey, it's a joke.
- So big shout out to her and Bill Mitchell for being the guardrails for me to keep me on track 'cause I always knew take the High Road.
Examples
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We've known each other a long time and you seem to me to take the High Road at every turn.
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In hindsight, though, I thought I was taking the High Road by being upfront at the very beginning of the relationship.
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You got to make sure you stay on the High Road, so to speak.
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And I feel better about myself when I take the high road and give credit where credit is due.
Blog text (24) -
But do your best to take the high road whenever possible.
Blog text (6) -
I tried to take the high road, choosing my words carefully and slowly.
Blog text (11) -
I'm so impressed that you took the high road and were thankful instead of upset.
Blog text (26) -
Speaking of Romney, he has taken the high road throughout the election.
Blog text (9) -
Israel could have taken the high road and improved living standards there, but they didn't.
Blog text (20) -
In a difficult situation, she decided to take the high road and remain honest with everyone involved.
Antonyms
How Moral
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Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase maps a literal path metaphor (road = course of action) onto a moral valuation (high = superior), so its meaning as a morally superior course is a clear metaphorical extension of the constituents. This relation is partly predictable from 'high' + 'road' and is mirrored by similar expressions (e.g. 'take the high ground') in other languages, but the idiomatic moral nuance may not be fully derivable by a B1 learner without prior exposure.
Etymology
The high road comes from the image of a high road, a cleaner path above a lower, dirtier way. One popular image says people who 'take the high road' choose the better, honest option, so today it means choosing the 'morally correct' action instead of revenge.