Meanings
- idiomaticgovernmentHeld with two hands as in "port arms", but carried well above the head. The high port is often the position taught for running (at the double) or charging.
'Place your rifle at the high port! That means above your head Mitchell!' James lifted the weapon and held over his head as ordered.
2008, Angus Hyslop, The Plough, the Gun and the Glory2 more examples
I raced across the desert, rifle above my head at the high-port. A man screamed, and throwing up his hands, rolled head over heels. I jumped over him and kept on running.
1943, Francis Jackson, Passage to Tobruk: the diary of a Kiwi in the Middle EastIf you mistakenly referred to your rifle as a gun, you found yourself doubling around the parade ground with your rifle in one hand above your head at the high port, and your other hand clutching your balls. As you ran you had to shout: 'This is my rifle, this is my gun, this is for fighting, this is for fun.'
2004, Peter Godwin, Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa - broadlyidiomaticSticking up; (of hair, etc) standing up at a marked angle.
Once, they disturbed a family of forest hog, which trotted off with tails at the high port; once a lone hyena, [...]
1986, Nicholas Best, Tennis and the Masai3 more examples
I have seen no more romantic figure than Stewart Carter, his head and shoulders wrapped in a flaming red head-scarf, moustaches at the high port, crouched fanatically over the steering-wheel of a stripped-down Land Rover.
1967, Philip Allfree, Warlords of OmanWe had just changed On another patrol Kinyua indicated that he could hear something in the undergrowth ahead. We had just changed places and I had assumed the lead position, when he thrust me to one side and stabbed with his shotgun a gigantic porcupine that was coming down the track at me with its bristles at the high port!
1996, Derek Peter Franklin, A Pied Cloak: Memoirs of a Colonial Police Officer (Special Branch)Here he ran out of words, and drew himself up, beard at the high port, shaking his great head while he clasped my hand, and I meditated on the astonishing ease with which strong men of Victorian vintage could be buffaloed into incoherent embarrassment by the mere mention of feminine frailty.
2006, George MacDonald Fraser, Flashman on the March - broadlyidiomaticHeld in front of the body, especially in an authoritative or aggressive way.
Thomas Tring, emerging with violin in left hand and bow vertical at the high port in his right, looked about Clark's age, had a long head with thin untidy hair round a clear parting. His accompanist, two yards behind, was ruddy-faced with glasses [...]
1991, Stanley Middleton, Beginning to end2 more examples
We can all surely see, though, that there will be heads who will weep for joy at the challenges posed by LFM, which may yet provide for the apotheosis of those colleagues who want to see a full exercise book before issuing a new one. Calculators at the high port they will prowl their schools switching off lights, cutting pencils in half and pondering the cost-effectiveness of — as an ex-colonial head with whom I worked longed to do — deterring vandals by establishing a family of baboons in the school grounds.
1990, Gerald Haigh, “Nipscratting? No thanks”, in Lynn Davies, editor, Equity and efficiency: school management in an international contextThe warden had spotted them. Mouth open in a predatory snarl which showed a metal tooth which it was rumoured actually grew there, she advanced towards them, her note-book held before her like a buckler, her pencil at the high port. The men turned and looked at her. That was all. Just looked.
1996, Reginald Hill, Blood Sympathy - broadlyidiomaticslangAt once, quickly; unhesitatingly, vigorously.
[...] So we thought we'd better hop our frames out of there at the high port.
1982, Roy Parsons, The summer book: a New Zealand miscellany3 more examples
Eventually he went off, still bubbling with enthusiasm. When his motorbike was out of earshot I went to look for Smithy. He must have taken off smartly at the high port as soon as he saw Elmer but I ran him down in the end.
1981, Dan Davin, Selected stories[...] inimitable drivers had taken it into their heads to leave at the high-port when the firing started.
1989, André Dennison, J. R. T. Wood, The war diaries of André DennisonNo sooner had the shot been fired than they took off at the high port, racing hell bent for leather right in our direction.
1997, Ron Thomson, Mahohboh - idiomaticPositioned ready for immediate use.
Two seconds later Charlie comes out with his hand at the high port, ready for shaking.
1970, West coast review, volumes 5-63 more examples
Among the other Americans was a bright, bird-like lady with her note-book at the high port and her biro uncapped and ready...
1985, Punch, volume 289We can all surely see, though, that there will be heads who will weep for joy at the challenges posed by LFM, which may yet provide for the apotheosis of those colleagues who want to see a full exercise book before issuing a new one. Calculators at the high port they will prowl their schools switching off lights, cutting pencils in half and pondering the cost-effectiveness of — as an ex-colonial head with whom I worked longed to do — deterring vandals by establishing a family of baboons in the school grounds.
1990, Gerald Haigh, “Nipscratting? No thanks”, in Lynn Davies, editor, Equity and efficiency: school management in an international contextThe warden had spotted them. Mouth open in a predatory snarl which showed a metal tooth which it was rumoured actually grew there, she advanced towards them, her note-book held before her like a buckler, her pencil at the high port. The men turned and looked at her. That was all. Just looked.
1996, Reginald Hill, Blood SympathySynonyms: at the ready
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositional phrasePositioned ready for immediate use.
Cite this entry
at the high port. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20the%20high%20port
“at the high port.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20the%20high%20port. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “at the high port,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20the%20high%20port.
Source: at the high port on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.