highly strung

highly strung
adjective
being in a tense state
Syn:
edgy, ↑high-strung, ↑jittery, ↑jumpy, ↑nervy, ↑overstrung, ↑restive, ↑uptight
Similar to: ↑tense
Derivationally related forms: ↑restiveness (for: ↑restive), ↑jumpiness (for: ↑jumpy), ↑jitteriness (for: ↑jittery), ↑edge (for: ↑edgy), ↑edginess (for: ↑edgy)

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[adjective]
nervous, edgy, excitable, neurotic, sensitive, stressed, temperamental, tense

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adjective NERVOUS, nervy, excitable, temperamental, sensitive, unstable; brittle, on edge, edgy, restless, anxious, tense, stressed, overwrought, neurotic; informal uptight, jumpy, twitchy, wired, wound up, het up.
easy-going.

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adj [more \highly strung; most \highly strung]
chiefly Brit :high-strung

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ˌhighly ˈstrung [highly strung] (BrE) (NAmE ˌhigh-ˈstrung) adjective
(of a person or an animal) nervous and easily upset

a sensitive and highly-strung child

Their new horse is very highly strung.

See also:high-strung

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • highly strung — ► ADJECTIVE Brit. ▪ very nervous and easily upset …   English terms dictionary

  • highly-strung — adj sensitive, neurotic, nervous, easily upset, nervy, jumpy, on edge, temperamental, excitable, restless, overwrought, tense, stressed COLLOQ. wound up, uptight, edgy ≠ calm * * * | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ adjective : high strung * * * highly strungˈ… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Highly Strung — Infobox Album | Name = Highly Strung Type = Album Artist = Steve Hackett Released = April 1983 Recorded = Feb. to Nov. 1982 Genre = Progressive rock | Rock Length = 37:01 Label = Charisma Records Epic Records (US) Caroline Records (US 1991)… …   Wikipedia

  • highly-strung — ADJ GRADED If someone is highly strung, they are very nervous and easily upset. He was sensitive and highly strung, and she had always tried to shield him from his father s sarcasm and violence. Syn: sensitive …   English dictionary

  • highly strung — /haɪli ˈstrʌŋ / (say huylee strung) adjective tense and easily distressed; excitable; nervous and sensitive: Tom is highly strung and can t face the upheaval. Also, high strung …  

  • highly strung — especially BrE also high strung AmE adjective nervous, and easily upset or excited: a highly strung child …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • highly strung — adj. Highly strung is used with these nouns: ↑temperament …   Collocations dictionary

  • highly-strung — British & Australian, American nervous and easily upset. Anna has always been highly strung, whereas her brother is one of the most relaxed people you could meet …   New idioms dictionary

  • highly-strung — UK [ˌhaɪlɪ ˈstrʌŋ] / US [ˌhaɪlɪˈstrʌŋ] adjective someone who is highly strung easily becomes nervous or upset …   English dictionary

  • highly strung — (N. Amer. high strung) adjective very nervous and easily upset …   English new terms dictionary

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