2. (colloquial).—Stinking; GAMEY (q.v.).; whence, by implication, diseased (as a prostitute); obscene in intention and effect.
THE HIGH AND DRY, subs. phr. (clerical).—The High Church or Anglo-Catholic party in the Establishment, as opposed to the LOW AND SLOW (q.v.), or Evangelical section. Cf., BROAD AND SHALLOW.
1853. W. J. CONYBEARE, Church Parties, 74. Its adherents [of the High Church] … are fallen from their high estate, and are contemptuously denominated THE ‘HIGH AND DRY’; just as the parallel development of the Low Church is nicknamed ‘Low and Slow.’
1857. A. TROLLOPE, Barchester Towers, ch. liii. Who belongs to THE HIGH AND DRY church, the High Church as it was some fifty years since, before tracts were written and young clergymen took upon themselves the highly meritorious duty of cleaning churches?
1886. Graphic, 10 April, 399. In the Church have we not the three schools of HIGH AND DRY, Low and Slow, and Broad and Shallow?
HIGH AND DRY, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Stranded; abandoned; irrecoverable.
1889. Pall Mall Gazette, 18 Oct., 6, 1. It seems to me that Mr. Chamberlain must really look out or he will find himself, as the result of that insidious ‘mellowing process’ to which Mr. Matthews has testified, landed HIGH AND DRY in a Toryism compared to which Sir Walter Barttelot will show in Radical colours.
HIGH AND MIGHTY, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Arrogant; imperious; proud; ‘on the high horse,’ or the ‘HIGH ROPES’ (q.v.); full of SIDE (q.v.).
1891. N. GOULD, The Double Event, p. 121. None of your HIGH AND MIGHTY games with me.
1892. W. E. HENLEY and R. L. STEVENSON, Deacon Brodie, i., 2. Ye need na be sae HIGH AND MIGHTY onyway.
1892. HUME NISBET, The Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 49. ‘MIGHTY HIGH some people are, ain’t they?’ the man observed loudly, straightening himself, and ordering a nobbler for himself.
TOO HIGH FOR ONE’S NUT, adv. phr. (American).—Out of one’s reach; beyond one’s capacity; OVER ONE’S BEND (q.v.).
YOU CAN’T GET HIGH ENOUGH, verb. phr. (common).—A derisive comment on any kind of failure. [Probably obscene in origin.]
HOW IS THAT FOR HIGH? phr. (American).—‘What do you think of it?’ [Once a tag universal; common wear now.]
18[?]. F. OLIVE, Words and Their Uses.
| For when he slapped my broad-brim off, and asked, ‘HOW’S THAT FOR HIGH?’ | |
| It roused the Adam in me, and I smote him hip and thigh! |
1872. S. L. CLEMENS (‘Mark Twain’), Roughing It, 334. We are going to get it up regardless of expense. [He] was always nifty himself, and so you bet his funeral ain’t going to be no slouch,—solid silver door-plate on his coffin, six plumes on the hearse, and a nigger on the box in a biled shirt and a plug hat,—HOW’S THAT FOR HIGH?
1889. Pall Mall Gazette, 23 Sept., p. 2, c. 1. ‘Cricket’ stories are the thing just now. HOW IS THIS FOR HIGH?
