higher

Pluralhighers

Formshighers, highering, highered

1. 1
   adjective

   Comparative of high.

   The northern peak stands higher than its neighbor.

   This year's rainfall was higher than the average.

   Note

   The comparative carries every sense of high with it, not just height: a higher peak, but also a higher rank, or a level higher than normal. It is built with -er, never with more, and when the comparison is spelled out it takes than. The same spelling also works as a verb and as the Scottish exam, whose plural is Highers.

2. 2
   adverb

   Comparative of high.

   The rocket soared higher than any craft before it.

   She aimed higher with each new attempt.

   Note

   Where the adjective describes a thing, the adverb describes movement or aim: soar higher, sing higher, bid higher. It reaches past altitude to value and musical pitch. Position tells it apart from the adjective. After be, the word is an adjective (the price is higher). After an action verb, it is an adverb (the price climbed higher).

3. 3
   noundialectalScotlandcountable

   A national school-leaving examination that also functions as a qualification for university entrance.

   He sat his Higher in mathematics last June.

   Her place at university depended on strong Highers.

   Note

   A Scottish word that needs explaining outside Scotland. It is usually capitalized and works as an ordinary countable noun. A student sits a Higher in one subject and applies to university with a set of Highers. Pupils, parents and universities talk about Highers by subject and grade, which is why the plural is so often heard.

4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To make something higher, or to raise or increase it in amount or quantity.

   Note

   A verb with a parliamentary ring. Crosby's Parliamentary Record of 1847 complains of countries that have highered the duties on our goods, and the Canadian House of Commons debates of 1903 use it in the same setting. It is fully regular (highers, highering, highered) and always takes an object, usually a figure such as duties or fees.

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