adjective / noun
high
An altered state of heightened feeling caused by drugs.
He feels high after smoking marijuana and loses track of time.
Etymology
The adjective for an elevated position became a description of heightened mood or sensation. The drug sense names the altered state by that feeling of being raised above one’s ordinary condition.
More examples
- The high wears off, leaving him tired and irritable.
- She is too high to follow the conversation.
- Different drugs can produce very different highs.
Forms
high · highs · higher · highest
Similar words
- stoned
- Usually suggests marijuana intoxication, often with sluggishness or foggy thinking.
- intoxicated
- More formal; includes alcohol and does not imply heightened pleasure.