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highway
it/thinks it is very good) b) in a high or important position:
highly placed government officials
**highly-'strung** also **high-strung** *adj* easily upset or
excited; nervous. This word is often used to excuse a person
who has strong emotional feelings about problems.
**High 'Mass, high mass** *n* [C, U] a very formal church
ceremony in the Roman Catholic Church
**high-'minded** *adj* having or showing very high especially
moral standards, perhaps too high —**ly** *adv* —**ness** *n* [U]
**High-ness** /'haɪnəs/ *n* [C] Your/Her/His Highness used to
speak to or about a king, queen, prince etc
**high-'octane** *adj* (of petrol) of good quality
**high-per'formance** *adj* [A] (of cars, computers etc) able to
go faster, do more work etc than normal ones
**high-'pitched** *adj* **1** (of a sound or voice) at a level close to
the highest that can be heard; not low or deep: *She let out a
high-pitched scream.* **2** (of a roof) sloping steeply
**'high ,point** also **high spot** *n* [(of)] the best or most
important moment or event of a period or activity, espe-
cially one that is remembered with great pleasure: *One of the
high points of our holiday was the visit to the Grand Canyon.*
**high-'powered** *adj* showing great force, ability etc: *high-
powered selling methods* | *a high-powered car* | *The new
professor is very high-powered.*
**'high-,pressure¹** *adj* [A] **1** of, at, or using high pressure,
especially air pressure that is higher than usual **2** (especially
of a salesperson or method of selling) using strong and
continuous argument and talk: *I was talked into buying it by
a high-pressure salesman.*
**high-pressure²** *v* [T(into)] especially *AmE* to persuade (some-
one) to do or buy something by high-pressure methods
**high 'priest ,high 'priestess** *fem.* — *n* the chief priest,
e.g. in a temple: (*fig.*) *the high priest of modern jazz* (=the
most famous and influential jazz musician)
**high-'principled** *adj* honourable; HIGH-MINDED
**high 'profile** *n* [C *usually sing.*] the state or quality of attract-
ing a lot of attention to oneself or one's actions: *The
company has a high profile in the area of personal computers.*
—**high-profile** *adj*: *a high-profile job as the President's per-
sonal spokesman*
**'high-,ranking** *adj* [A] of high rank: *high-ranking govern-
ment officials* | *one of the highest-ranking members of the
government*
**high re'lief** *n* [U] a form of art in which figures are cut out of
the stone or wooden surface of a wall so that they stand well
out from the background, which has been cut away ➔
compare BAS-RELIEF
**'high-rise** *adj* [A] describing a very tall building, especially a
block of flats with more than a few floors (STOREYS) ➔
compare LOW-RISE —**high rise** *n* *We live on the 20th floor of a
high rise.*
**CULTURAL NOTE** In Britain, high-rise buildings are usually in
inner city areas and are lived in by people who are not
very rich, but in the US, some high-rise flats are very
attractive and very expensive.
**'high road** *n* [(the) S] especially *BrE* (often *cap.* as part of a name) a
main road; HIGH STREET: *We got it at a shop in Kilburn High
Road.*
**'high school** *n* [C,U] **1** (in Britain) a SECONDARY SCHOOL for
children, often for girls, aged between 11 and 18; used
especially in names: *Manchester High School* | *She's still at
high school.* **2** (in the US) a school for children aged
between 15 and 18 ➔ see Feature on page A12
**high school di'ploma** *n* *AmE* a document given to those
who complete the 12 years of education required in the
American school system. It is necessary for all but the most
unskilled jobs. ➔ see Feature on page A12
**high 'seas** *n* [the P] the oceans of the world which do not
belong to any particular country
**high 'season** *n* [(the) U] the time of year when business is
most active and prices are highest: *Your ticket will cost more
if you fly during (the) high season.* ➔ compare LOW SEASON
**high se,curity 'prison** *n* a prison for dangerous criminals,
from which it is very difficult to escape
**,high-sided 'vehicle** *n* *BrE* a vehicle such as a large VAN or a
bus which has high sides. Some bridges in windy places are
closed to high-sided vehicles in very windy weather, because
these vehicles might be in danger of being blown over.
**,high-'sounding** *adj* often *derog* (of words, ideas etc) seeming
important or very good but often having no meaning
**'high-speed** *adj* [A] which travels, works etc very fast: *a
high-speed train*
**,high-'spirited** *adj* **1** (of a person or their behaviour) full of
fun; adventure-loving; LIVELY **2** (of an animal, especially a
horse, or of animal behaviour) active, especially nervously
active, and hard to control
**'high spot** *n* [(of)] the best or most important part; HIGH POINT
**'high street** *BrE* || **main street** *AmE* — *n* [(the) S] (often *cap.* as
part of a name) the most important shopping and business
street of a town: *Camden High Street* | *There are several
banks in the high street.* —**high-street** *adj* [A] *one of the big
high-street shoe shops, with branches throughout Britain*
**,high street 'bank** *n* *BrE* a bank which provides services to
ordinary people and small companies. Branches of high
street banks, e.g. NatWest, Midlands, Barclays, or Lloyds, can
be found in most towns and cities in Britain.
**,high-'strung** *adj* HIGHLY-STRUNG
**,high 'table** *n* [U] (in Britain) the table at which the teachers
at a college eat, which is at a level raised above that of the
area where the students eat. This expression is used espe-
cially at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
**high-tail** /'haɪteɪl/ *v* **hightail it** *infml*, especially *AmE* to go or leave
in a great hurry: *We'd better hightail it out of here before the
law shows up.*
**,high 'tea** *n* [U] *BrE* an early-evening meal taken in some parts
of Britain instead of afternoon tea or a later dinner, espe-
cially by children whose parents eat separately after the
children are in bed
**high tech, hi-tech** /ˌhaɪ ˈtek/ *n* [U] **1** a style of decorating
houses, offices etc, using modern industrial building mat-
erials **2** high technology —**high tech, hi-tech** *adj*
**,high tech'nology** *n* [U] the use of the most modern and
advanced machines, processes, and methods, e.g. in busi-
ness or industry
**'high-,tension** *adj* [A] carrying a powerful electrical current:
*high-tension cables*
**,high 'tide** *n* **1** [C;U] the moment when the water is highest
up the sea shore because the TIDE has come in ➔ opposite
LOW TIDE **2** [C *usually sing.*] the highest point of success
**,high 'time** *n* [U] the proper time (for something that has
been delayed too long): [+(that)] *It's high time you had your
hair cut; it's getting much too long.*
**,high-'toned** *adj* (seeming to be) concerned with great aims,
high principles, or noble ideas
**'high-tops** *n* [P] *AmE infml* sports shoes that cover your ANKLES:
*high-top basketball shoes*
**,high 'treason** *n* [U] the crime of putting one's country or its
ruler in great danger, e.g. by planning to kill the king, giving
military secrets to foreign enemies etc; TREASON of the very
worst kind
**,high 'water** *n* [U] the moment when the water in a river is at
its highest point because of the TIDE ➔ opposite LOW WATER;
see also **come hell or high water** (HELL)
**,high 'water mark** *n* **1** a mark showing the highest point
reached by a body of water, such as a river **2** the highest
point of success ➔ opposite LOW WATER MARK
**high-way** /'haɪweɪ/ *n* **1** especially *AmE* or *law* a broad main road
used especially by traffic going in both directions, and often
leading from one town to another
**CULTURAL NOTE** In the US, there are many different
names for fast roads. Highways usually connect cities.
Sometimes they have only two LANES, especially in
country areas, but near cities they may have three or four
lanes going in each direction. A road with many lanes is
sometimes called a SUPERHIGHWAY. INTERSTATE highways
connect cities in different states, and sometimes go
through several states. FREEWAYS are roads within a city
on which you can drive very fast without stopping, and
they usually have three or more lanes going in each