Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To treat in a condescending or supercilious manner.
  • adjective Snobbish; haughty.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective disdainful; haughty
  • noun slang A person claiming to be superior.
  • verb transitive To snub or treat condescendingly.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Leyda praised the wit and artistry of Alberto Cavalcanti's "Yellow Caesar" 1941, a satire mocking Mussolini, writing: "Maximum advantage is taken of a casual spitting or clearing of the throat, caught by Cavalcanti in his careful combing of British newsreel archives, or of the variety of costume Mussolini enjoyed—from diplomatic high-hat to a momentary affectation of peasant garb for the treacherous camera's sake."

    Reconstructive History Kristin M. Jones 2012

  • So there was high-hat coming through my vocal monitor and nothing else.

    Playing in the Rockers' Clubhouse John Jurgensen 2011

  • If I go to the store specializing in mystery or crime, I get the high-hat.

    The Future of Bookstores? at SF Novelists 2009

  • Over the monitors, the incessant sizzle of drummer Jason Nazary's high-hat hung in the air as bassist Adam Lane entered with a strident but off-kilter rhythm that seemed to stumble over Mr. Nazary's stuttering stick-work.

    New Hymns for the Saxophone Church Steve Dollar 2011

  • He plays his high-hat cymbal not with a coat hanger, as was the tradition before he changed it, but with a flathead screwdriver, since he likes the way it sounds: “like the swoop-splash of a rock hitting a lake.”

    FLY FISHING WITH DARTH VADER MATT LABASH 2010

  • It's almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in high-hat and tuxedo ....

    Archive 2008-11-01 2008

  • It's almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in high-hat and tuxedo ....

    No Punch Line Required 2008

  • Not hitting the high-hat cross armed is a little wierd.

    HEATH LEDGER MOURNED BY… BIJOU PHILLIPS? 2008

  • Its opulent atmospheric layers include gentle pianos, playful xylophones, high-hat heavy percussion, synthesizers, and flange-filled guitar leads, to name just a few.

    Buzzine » Mew 2009

  • No, "Shaft" has every hallmark of a Hayes classic, from that high-hat and wah-wah guitar, to the sweeping orchestral arrangement.

    Soul Legend Isaac Hayes, From 'Shaft' To 'Chef' 2008

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