HIGH-WATER MARK Definition & Meaning

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high-water mark

[ hahy-waw-ter, -wot-er ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a mark showing the highest level reached by a body of water.
the highest point of anything; acme:
Her speech was the high-water mark of the conference.

high-water mark

noun

1. the level reached by sea water at high tide or by other stretches of water in flood
2. the mark indicating this level
the highest point

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of high-water mark¹

First recorded in 1545–55

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Idioms and Phrases

The peak of something, especially an achievement. For example, This composition is the high-water mark of his entire output . This expression alludes to the highest mark left on shore by the tide. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It remains for me the high-water mark of Beckett acting.

From

“It’s still the high-water mark for a heavy electric guitar over a dance-pop beat,” Ronson says of Jackson and producer Quincy Jones’ crack at creating a rock song for the world-conquering “Thriller” LP.

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The most recent high-water mark for best picture box office was in 2023, when, for the first time, more than one contender grossed over $1 billion globally.

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As we contemplate Biden’s legacy, it is more likely that his ranking in our most recent survey will be his high-water mark.

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Murnau’s film, subtitled “A Symphony of Horror,” soon came to be regarded as a masterwork in its own right, a high-water mark of German Expressionism and a template for future vampire movies.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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