get high

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation[edit]

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Verb[edit]

get high (third-person singular simple present gets high, present participle getting high, simple past got high, past participle (UK) got high or (US) gotten high)

  1. (idiomatic, slang) To intoxicate oneself with drugs or other substances.
    Synonyms: get stoned, get wasted
    Antonyms: come down, sober up
    • 1967, “With a Little Help from My Friends”, in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, performed by Beatles:
      I get high with a little help from my friends
    • 1972, Lou Reed (lyrics and music), “Goodnight Ladies”, in Transformer:
      But now you've sucked Your lemon peel dry, / so why not get high, high, high
    • 2001, “Because I Got High”, in Because I Got High, performed by Afroman:
      I was going to make love to you, but I got high
  2. (figurative, slang) To become euphoric by means of other than the use of drugs.
  3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see get,‎ high.

Usage notes[edit]

While get high is used to refer to the use of many drugs and intoxicants, it is much more common with certain substances (e.g. marijuana) and much less common with others (e.g. alcohol). There are numerous substance specific synonyms including get drunk pertaining to alcohol, trip pertaining to LSD, etc. The term is also used figuratively for activities unrelated to drug use, such as exercise (e.g. "I feel great after a long run, that is how I get high.").

Translations[edit]