英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

high-falutin'[high-falutin' 词源字典]: also highfalutin, 1848, U.S. slang, possibly from high-flying, or flown, or even flute.[high-falutin' etymology, high-falutin' origin, 英语词源]
high-five: originally U.S. basketball slang, 1980 as a noun, 1981 as a verb, though the greeting itself seems to be older (Dick Shawn in "The Producers," 1968). In reference to the five fingers of the hand.
high-minded (adj.): c. 1500, "arrogant;" 1550s, "morally lofty," from high (adj.) + minded. Related: High-mindedness.
high-powered (adj.): 1903, originally of automobiles, from high (adj.) + power (v.).
high-roller (n.): "extravagant spender," by 1873, American English, probably originally a reference to a gambler throwing dice.
high-strung (adj.): also high strung, 1848 in the figurative sense, from high (adj.) + strung. Originally a musical term, with reference to stringed instruments, where it is attested from 1748.
high-tail (v.): also hightail "move quickly," attested by 1890, U.S. slang from cattle ranches (animals fleeing with elevated tails); from high (adj.) + tail (n.). Related: Hightailed; hightailing.
high-toned (adj.): 1779 of musical pitch, 1807 of morality, from high (adj.) + tone.
highball (n.): type of alcoholic drink, 1898, probably from ball "drink of whiskey;" high because it is served in a tall glass.
highborn (adj.): also high-born, "of noble birth," c. 1300, from high (adj.) + born.
highboy (n.): "tall chest of drawers," 1891, American English (see tallboy); a hybrid, the second element is from French bois "wood" (see bush).
highbrow (n.): "person of superior intellect and taste," 1902, back-formation from high-browed (adj.), which is attested from 1891, from high (adj.) + brow (see also lowbrow).
higher: comparative of high (adj.), Old English. Higher education is attested by 1839.
The French distinguish l'instruction secondaire, which includes what we term a liberal education, from l'instruction supérieure, which denotes professional education; but I do not think the corresponding English phrases are used with this distinction. [William Whewell, "Of a Liberal Education in General," 1850]
Higher-up (n.) "one in a superior post" is from 1905, American English.
highest: superl. of high (adj.), Old English. Biblical in the highest translates Latin in excelsis, Greek en hypsostois.
highland (n.): Old English heohlond; see high (adj.) + land (n.). Highlands "mountainous district of Scotland" first recorded early 15c.
Highlander (n.): 1630s, from Highland + -er (1).
highlight (n.): 1650s, originally of paintings, "the brightest part of a subject," from high (adj.) + light (n.). The figurative sense of "outstanding feature or characteristic" is from 1855. The verb is from 1861. Hairdressing sense is 1941 (n.), 1942 (v.). Related: Highlighted; highlighting.
highly (adv.): Old English healice "nobly, gloriously, honorably;" see high (adj.) + -ly (1). Meaning "very, very much, fully" is mid-14c.
highness (n.): Old English heanes; see high (adj.) + -ness. Meaning "royalty, excellence, nobility" is early 13c.; Your Highness as a form of address to English royalty is attested from c. 1400.
hight (v.): "named, called" (archaic), from levelled past participle of Middle English highte, from Old English hatte "I am called" (passive of hatan "to call, name, command") merged with heht "called," active past tense of the same verb. Hatte was the only survival in Old English of the old Germanic synthetic passive tense. The word is related to Old Norse heita, Dutch heten, German heißen, Gothic haitan "to call, be called, command" (see cite).