When someone thinks of this they might think of a cowboy or even the Marlborough Man on a horse sitting high above someone. In fact, there is some literal truth to this idiom.
In the 1500’’s or the middle ages, England a person’s rank was seen by the size of their horse they rode. The higher the status the taller and larger the horse was. The phrase “one’s high horse” refers to someone of a higher social class.
Meaning
Today when someone uses this idiom they are suggesting someone who has a high opinion of themselves, maybe someone who is pretentious and thinks of themselves as morally superior.
Example:
- Melissa has become so haughty lately, she really needs to get off her high horse!
- My boss always gets on her high horse whenever she feels threatened, it is so irritating!
Dialog:
Courtney: Hi Courtney, so good to see you.
Blake: Blake darling, you look marvelous!
Courtney: It’s all the Pilates and the brutal workouts with my personal trainer Auden.
Blake: You must give me his name; my wife has been looking for a good trainer as she has plumped up a little.
Courtney: Blake darling, Auden is a little fastidious in who he works with, in any event I will pass your number on.
Blake: I am sure once you mention who I am, he will be quick call. I mean who does he think he is?
Courtney: Yes. Yes. I know. Some people think because they are popular with the people they can afford to be so haughty.
Blake: Yes goodness. Some people need to be taken down a notch, they think they are riding such a high horse!
Other words you can create: noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc (ex: mug – mugger)
- arrogant
- haughty
- exalted
- pride (proud)
- superior
- pretentious
- self-righteous
- pious
- egotistical
- goody-goody
- smug
- pompous
- hotshot
Collocations
- Come down from riding your high horse.
- To be on a high horse.
Related phrasal verbs
Stuck up
When someone is stuck up they believe they are too important to talk to you or that you are beneath them to speak to.
- Every since Peter became a lawyer he has been really stuck up, he needs to come down from his high horse.
Puffed up
We use this to describe people who think they are better than other or who believed they are the best at something. It could also mean someone who believes their achievement is superior.
- Peter was so puffed up from graduating from the top of the class that he snub his friends at the bar.
Wrapped up in oneself
This is a phrasal verb and is also figurative. If you are wrapped up in yourself you are conceited, self-absorbed.
- Victoria is so wrapped-up in herself and her new boyfriend and she thinks she is so high and mighty now.
Related idioms
Goody two shoes
We would use this to describesomeone who is or sees themselves, or is seen by other people as being well behaved.
- That Phoebe thinks she is such a goody two shoes, she should really come down off her high horse.
Holier-than-thou
the use of this idiom we use it to describe someone seeing themselves as having higher morals and more moralistic than others. This is often used in a negative context.
- I went out with a new coworker, she really has a holier-than-thou attitude.
As if you own the place
When this idiom is used it has some literal meaning in that someone presents themselves or behaves in such a way that when they are in a place they are bossy, controlling and assertive as if they own the place, when they are just a guest.
- That is the last time I am going to invite Phoebe, she was so bossy and thinks she owns the place.
Too big for her boots
This describes someone who behaves or acts in such a way that they present and being more important than they are.
- After Will got his promotion he really has been on his high horse, he has become a little bit too big for his boots.
Synonyms (other ways to say)
- On one’s high horse
- To be on one’s high horse
- To get off your high horse
- To get on your high horse
- Get on one’s high horse
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