highball

1 of 2

noun

high·​ball ˈhī-ˌbȯl How to pronounce highball (audio)
1
: an iced drink containing liquor (such as whiskey) and water or a carbonated beverage (such as ginger ale) and served in a tall glass
2
: a railroad signal for a train to proceed at full speed

highball

2 of 2

verb

highballed; highballing; highballs

intransitive verb

: to go at full or high speed
a highballing express train

Examples of highball in a Sentence

Verb trying to make up for lost time, the train just highballed through the station without stopping
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
At the same time, the cozy, moodily dark lobby was conceived to be a communal social space — rare for Japan, a country where lodging tends to be more cloistered — for locals and tourists to work on their laptops or drink highballs with friends. Kurt Soller M.h. Miller Angela Koh Rachel Felder Chris Schalkx, New York Times, 10 Aug. 2023 Found at Tamayo by Chef Richard Sandoval in Denver, The Kansas City Rickey is a fun and refreshing take on a classic American highball. Aly Walansky, Forbes, 6 Feb. 2023 Drinks and Wine Besides an impeccable Toki highball, the bar mixes most of the classic cocktails that matter; there is a short, smart wine list, brand-name beers and excellent housemade sodas. Pete Wells, New York Times, 27 June 2023 Moët Hennessy is expanding from cases and bottles into highballs and coupes. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 23 June 2023 So get out your best Collins glass, make some clear ice, top it with a fancy garnish, and your glass of ginger ale magically becomes an elegant highball. Tony Sachs, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2023 The best drink is also deceptively simple: a $12 Toki highball, made with a Suntory Toki highball machine that delivers just the right amount of fizz and flavor. Tim Chan, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2022 This acrylic set is durable enough for outdoor use, and comes in sets of 4 (choose either highball or double old-fashioned) or 16 (a set of double old-fashioneds and highballs). Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 25 June 2021 WhistlePig recommends drinking this on the rocks or in a highball. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 21 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'highball.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of highball was in 1894

Dictionary Entries Near highball

Cite this Entry

“Highball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/highball. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

highball

noun
high·​ball
ˈhī-ˌbȯl
: a drink of alcoholic liquor with water or a carbonated beverage served in a tall glass

More from Merriam-Webster on highball

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