on high

on high idiom
  1. Up in the sky; also, in heaven. For example, They fixed their eyes on high, looking for the comet, or, in the Bible (Psalms 63:5), “The Lord our God who dwelleth on high.” [c. 1200]
  2. In a position of authority, as in Those on high have decreed that we work every other weekend. This usage is an ironic transfer from def. 1. Also see powers that be.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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