8.25.2009

High Comedy

High isn’t one of the most common words used in the English language.

The Top 10, in descending order, are: the, of, to, and, a, in, is, it, you, that.

High isn’t even on the Top 100 list.

But at 174 it ranks right up there on the Top 500.

High rears up all over the place as a noun, adverb and adjective.

As an adjective, though, it’s hard to imagine a word – even high’s antonym low – that precedes a more varied list of words.

In the Capitol, for instance, lobbyists are high powered, using high risk strategies because they play for high stakes but try to avoid a high profile in order to justify their high retainer.

 Despite high level negotiations, a high caliber lobbyist might cause a high minded legislator high anxiety even if the lobbyist’s bill is a high priority for high school districts in high density parts of California.

The high court can overturn high crimes or misdemeanors.

 In Hollywood, a good idea is high concept. 

 High pitch. High note. High fidelity.

High School Musical.

High Grades. High marks. High performance. High score.

High end. High living. High society.

High temperature. High latitude. High altitude.

High tech.

High tragedy. High adventure. High security.

High winds over Endor.

High strung. High voltage. High explosives.

 High maintenance.

High value. High quality. High price.

Hijinks? Hijack? No, that’s just hyperbole.

High seas. High chaparral. High resolution.

High fallutin’.

High dudgeon. High speed. High velocity. High wire.

High Five!

High priest. High ceilings. High altar. 

High definition.

Highbrow. High octane. High roller. High card.

High time.

And, the high point: 

High times.

                  -30-

Filed under: Venting



6 Comments »

  1. Least we forget Highball as in Black Bushmills and water.

    Comment by Wally Webgas — 8.25.2009 @ 12:11 pm

  2. Methinks the writer of this blog is sometimes in a synonymous state of high.

    Comment by Let It Bleed — 8.25.2009 @ 12:32 pm

  3. My God man why are you ruining good whiskey by pouring water (should be used only for bathing)in the glass. A high ball is a high ball even with out the water.

    Comment by Management Slug — 8.25.2009 @ 12:41 pm

  4. \" \’High\’ isn\’t one of the most common words in the English language\" because it only ranks 174th out of hundreds of thousands. Were you high when you wrote that?

    Comment by Ed Muskie — 8.26.2009 @ 9:21 am

  5. Is this Ed Muskie in any way related to the US Senator Ed Muskie I worked for in the 1970’s?

    Comment by Sandy Carey — 8.26.2009 @ 10:04 am

  6. I first used the handle \"Ed Muskie\" in responding to the silly allegation in this post that the press only criticizes women politicians who cry:

    http://californiascapitol.com/blog/?p=383

    No one got it!!

    Anyhow, I\’ve kept the handle ever since.

    Comment by Ed Muskie — 8.26.2009 @ 5:02 pm

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