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high five

/haɪ faɪv/
IPA guide

Other forms: high fives; high fiving; high fived

When someone says, "Up top!" and gives a congratulatory slap to your upraised palm, that's a high five.

If you sink a three-point shot in basketball, win an award, or get an A on an exam, you may get high fives from teammates, friends, a coach, or a teacher. Anyone yelling "Congratulations!" as they approach with a hand in the air probably wants to bestow a high five. They might also say, "Up high!" or "Give me five!" The five is from five fingers on a hand, and the term was originally 20th-century basketball slang.

Definitions of high five
  1. noun
    an act of two people slapping each other's hand to celebrate, used as a gesture of greeting or victory
    synonyms: high-five
  2. verb
    celebrate or greet by slapping another person's raised hand, especially as a gesture of victory
    synonyms: high-five
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