high sea

[ hahy see ]

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 Words From

• high-sea adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of high sea¹

First recorded before 1100

Example Sentences

After all, a few of Santorini’s eruptions still occurred amidst high sea levels.

From Science News For Students

Of course, maritime law is also meant to prevent collisions on the high seas.

From MIT Technology Review

The names of many of the new companies and technologies created to combat the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems can evoke thrilling acts of derring-do on the high seas.

From MIT Technology Review

In Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift’s hero impatiently sheds his known turf for the high seas and Lilliput only to escape to the home he thought he was escaping in the first place, where he finds himself more estranged than when he went.

From Nautilus

The system of barriers was created to keep high seas from inundating the city—a common event in Venice, but more frequent and severe thanks to climate change.

From Fortune

He gave a glance to the small island, which appeared at a convenient distance, and the tiny skiff was on the high sea.

From Project Gutenberg

A high sea arose and the conformation of the beach on the north-western side of the isthmus was completely changed.

From Project Gutenberg

The weather was now unfavourable again, blowing strong from the westward with a high sea.

From Project Gutenberg

I was afraid our masts showed to seaward and might betray us to some curious passer on the high sea.

From Project Gutenberg

For the good of man, his father and grandfather planted the high sea-lights upon the Inchcape and the Tyree Coast.

From Project Gutenberg