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high sea

American  
[hahy see] / ˈhaɪ ˈsi /

noun

  1. the sea or ocean beyond the three-mile limit or territorial waters of a state or nation.

  2. Usually high seas.

    1. the open, unenclosed waters of any sea or ocean; common waterway.

      The book was inspired by her own adventures on the high seas.

      Maritime pollution on the high seas is becoming a matter of grave consequence for coastal communities.

    2. Law. the area within which transactions are subject to the jurisdiction of the admiralty court.


Other Word Forms

  • high-sea adjective

Etymology

Origin of high sea

First recorded before 1100

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

All this comes at a time when more people are sailing the high seas than ever before, according to Cruise Lines International Association, the industry trade group.

From MarketWatch

The epic, high seas adventure follows hero Monkey D Luffy, leader of the Straw Hat pirates, on a worldwide hunt for a treasure known as the One Piece.

From BBC

With Qatari gas off limits, a bidding war for cargoes from elsewhere broke out on the high seas.

From The Wall Street Journal

“You’re the captain of your own ship. I guess you could sit and wait for it to sink, but I don’t see the point of that. You have to sail the high seas.”

From The Wall Street Journal

He was also the new owner of a sleek $70 million yacht that some law enforcement officials worried he might use to escape on the high seas.

From Salon