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.

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Other Word Forms

• high-sea adjective

Etymology

Origin of high sea

First recorded before 1100

Example Sentences

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

China on Friday proposed to host the secretariat of a new treaty governing the high seas, a surprise bid that underscores Beijing's desire to have greater influence over global environmental governance.

From Barron's