on high
Idioms-
Up in the sky; also, in heaven. For example, They fixed their eyes on high, looking for the comet , or, in the Bible (Psalms 63:5), “The Lord our God who dwelleth on high.” [c. 1200]
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In a position of authority, as in Those on high have decreed that we work every other weekend . This usage is an ironic transfer from def. 1. Also see powers that be .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Residents and local officials in the Afghan cities hit told BBC Afghan the situation appeared to have calmed down since the attacks, although people on both sides of the border remained on high alert.
From BBC
He had hosted a party at his home the night before, those people said, and his security team was not on high alert.
From Los Angeles Times
Palo Alto Networks tumbled 6.8% after the cybersecurity company reported strong fiscal second-quarter earnings but forecast that its profitability would suffer in the second half of the fiscal year, likely on high memory prices and the costs involved in integrating two acquisitions.
From Barron's
Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, said the work was undeniably "exciting" but cautioned "we have to ensure that keeping the body on 'high alert' doesn't lead to friendly fire, where a hyper-ready immune system accidentally triggers unwelcome side effects".
From BBC
Snow storms disrupted air travel, closed roads and schools and cut power to tens of thousands of people across Romania on Wednesday, the authorities said, placing the country on high alert.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
