hold one's head high

1. Also, hold one's head up; hold up one's head. Behave proudly; maintain one's dignity. For example, After the bankruptcy Mr. Jones still held his head high, or Grandma told Brian he could hold his head up because he'd tried extremely hard, or After that newspaper article, I'm not sure I'll ever hold up my head again. All these expressions allude to a posture of pride. [Second half of 1500s]

Example Sentences

Although humble in the sight of God, experience had taught him that the only way to command the respect of men was to hold one's head high while among them.

From Project Gutenberg