Dictionary

hold one's head high en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To act with pride; to be proud in a positive way.
   • So a man's put to task and challenges / I was taught to hold my head high / Collect what is mine / Make the best of what today has. 2008, “Houston”, in Accelerate, performed by R.E.M.:
   • And I spent oh so many nights just feeling sorry for myself / I used to cry, but now I hold my head up high 1978, Dino Fekaris, Freddie Perren, “I Will Survive”, in Love Tracks, performed by Gloria Gaynor:
   • Hold your head up high / Lay your dreams right up to the sky / Sing your greatest song / And you'll keep going, going on 1973, Donny Hathaway, Edward Howard, “Someday We'll All Be Free”, in Extension of a Man, performed by Donny Hathaway:
   • How on earth are we supposed to hold our heads high as the 'mother of parliaments' when we allow to continue the practice of almost openly buying a seat in parliament? 2013 October 31, Rowena Mason, quoting David Steel, “Lord Steel criticises culture of spin and tweeting in modern politics”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • It was a clash for the ages as the battling All Blacks were full value for their effort. They can hold their heads high after it looked like South Africa was in control halfway through the match. 2023 October 28, Leighton Koopman, “YES!!! The Springboks beat the All Blacks to win another Rugby World Cup title”, in Independent Online:

Forms

Deriveds

with one's head held high

Translations (11)

es mantener la frente en alto (act with pride — see also with one's head held high) · es mantener la cabeza alta (act with pride — see also with one's head held high) · fr garder la tête haute (act with pride — see also with one's head held high) · fi pitää päänsä pystyssä (act with pride — see also with one's head held high) · pl chodzić z podniesionym czołem (act with pride — see also with one's head held high) · es mantener la cabeza en alto (act with pride — see also with one's head held high) · pt manter a cabeça erguida (act with pride — see also with one's head held high) · cmn 昂首闊步 /昂首阔步 (act with pride — see also with one's head held high) · ca anar amb el cap alt (act with pride — see also with one's head held high) · it restare a testa alta (act with pride — see also with one's head held high) · is bera bratt hala sinn (act with pride — see also with one's head held high)