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high-strung

[ hahy-struhng ]
/ ˈhaɪˈstrʌŋ /
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adjective

at great tension; highly excitable or nervous; edgy: high-strung nerves; a high-strung person.

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RELATED WORDS

excitable, restless, edgy, impatient, tense

Nearby words

  1. high-step,
  2. high-stepper,
  3. high-stepping,
  4. high-stick,
  5. high-sticking,
  6. high-tail,
  7. high-tech,
  8. high-tension,
  9. high-test,
  10. high-ticket

Origin of high-strung

First recorded in 1740–50
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for high-strung

Word Origin and History for high-strung

high-strung

adj.

also high strung, 1848 in the figurative sense, from high (adj.) + strung. Originally a musical term, with reference to stringed instruments, where it is attested from 1748.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper