high horse

See more synonyms for high horse on Thesaurus.com

noun

a haughty attitude or temper; a contemptuous manner.

Origin of high horse

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for high horse

condescension, patronization

Examples from the Web for high horse

Historical Examples of high horse

But she was foolish to get on her 'high-horse' and turn down my proposition.
El Diablo
Brayton Norton
If she'd come off her high-horse the old man might leave a wad to Donnie.
The Long Dim Trail
Forrestine C. Hooker
Then he got on his high-horse and told me to shut up or he would knock me down.
The Mystery at Putnam Hall
Arthur M. Winfield
You wouldn't come off of your high-horse for anything, would you?
From the Housetops
George Barr McCutcheon
Hugh was on his high-horse, and full of historic reminiscences.
Bay State Monthly, Vol. II, No. 1, October, 1884
Various

Word Origin and History for high horse

originally (late 14c.) "fine, tall horse; war horse, charger" (high steed is from c.1300), also, like high hall, "status symbol;" figurative sense of "airs, easily wounded dignity" in mount (one's) high horse "affect airs of superiority" is from 1782 (Addison has to ride the great horse in the same sense, 1716). Cf. French monter sur ses grands chevaux; "The simile is common to most languages" [Farmer].

high horse in Culture

high horse

To be on one's “high horse” is to be disdainful or conceited: “Sally got tired of Peter's snobbery and finally told him to get off his high horse.”

Idioms and Phrases with high horse

high horse

see on one's high horse.