Online Etymology Dictionary

hiding (n.1): "concealment," early 13c., verbal noun from hide (v.1). Hiding-place is from mid-15c.; an Old English word for this was hydels.
hiding (n.2): "a flogging," 1809, from hide (n.1), perhaps in reference to a whip or thong made of animal hide, or of "tanning" someone's "hide." Old English had hyde ðolian "to undergo a flogging," and hydgild "fine paid to save one's skin (from a punishment by flogging)." The English expression a hiding to nothing (by 1905) referred to a situation where there was disgrace in defeat and no honor in victory.
hidy-hole (n.): 1817, altered from hiding-hole (1610s); from hiding (n.1) + hole (n.).
hie (v.): Old English higian "strive, hasten," originally "to be intent on," from Proto-Germanic *hig- (source also of Middle Dutch higen "to pant," Middle Low German hichen, German heichen), from PIE root *kigh- "fast, violent." Related: Hied; hies; hieing.
hiemal (adj.): "pertaining to winter," 1550s, from Latin hiemalis "of winter, wintry," from hiems "winter" (see hibernation).
hierarch (n.): "one who rules in holy things," 1570s, from Medieval Latin hierarcha, from Greek hierarkhia, from hierarkhes "leader of sacred rites, high priest" (see hierarchy).
hierarchal (adj.): 1640s, from hierarch + -al (1).
hierarchic (adj.): 1680s, from Medieval Latin hierarchicus, from hierarchia (see hierarchy).
hierarchical (adj.): 1560s, from hierarch + -ical. Related: Hierarchically.
hierarchy (n.): late 14c., jerarchie, ierarchie, "rank in the sacred order; one of the three divisions of the nine orders of angels;" loosely, "rule, dominion," from Old French ierarchie (14c., Modern French hiérarchie), from Medieval Latin hierarchia "ranked division of angels" (in the system of Dionysius the Areopagite), from Greek hierarkhia "rule of a high priest," from hierarkhes "high priest, leader of sacred rites," from ta hiera "the sacred rites" (neuter plural of hieros "sacred;" see ire) + arkhein "to lead, rule" (see archon). Sense of "ranked organization of persons or things" first recorded 1610s, initially of clergy, sense probably influenced by higher.
hieratic (adj.): "pertaining to sacred things," 1660s, from Latin hieraticus, from Greek hieratikos "pertaining to a priest or his office, priestly, devoted to sacred purposes," from hierateia "priesthood," from hiereus "priest," from hieros "sacred, holy, hallowed; superhuman, mighty; divine" (see ire). Related: Hieratical (1650s).
hierocracy (n.): "rule or government by priests," 1794, from hiero-, from Greek hieros "sacred, holy, divine" (see ire) + -cracy. Related: Hierocratic.
hieroglyph (n.): "a figure of a familiar object representing a word or sound," especially in the system of writing used on monuments, etc., in ancient Egypt, 1590s, a shortening of hieroglyphic (n.) "hieroglyphic character," from hieroglyphic (adj.). Greek hieroglyphos meant "a carver of hieroglyphics."
hieroglyphic (adj.): 1580s, "of the nature of Egyptian monumental writing," from Late Latin hieroglyphicus, from Greek hieroglyphikos "hieroglyphic; of Egyptian writing," from hieros "sacred" (see ire) + glyphe "carving," from glyphein "to carve" (see glyph). Plutarch began the custom of using the adjective (ta hieroglyphika) as a noun in reference to the Egyptian way of writing. The noun use of hieroglyphic in English dates to 1580s (hieroglyphics). Related: Hieroglyphical; hieroglyphically.
hieroglyphics (n.): 1580s, from Greek ta hieroglyphika "ancient Egyptian writing system;" see hieroglyphic + -ics.
hierophant (n.): "expounder of sacred mysteries," 1670s, from Late Latin hierophantes, from Greek hierophantes "one who teaches the rites of sacrifice and worship," literally "one who shows sacred things," from hieros "sacred," from extended form of PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine" (see ire) + phainein "to reveal, bring to light" (see phantasm). In modern use, "expounder of esoteric doctrines," from 1822.
hierophantic (adj.): 1775, from Latinized form of Greek hierophantikos "pertaining to a hierophant," from hierophantes "expounder of sacred mysteries" (see hierophant).
hierophobia (n.): "fear of sacred things or persons," 1816, from hiero- "holy," from Greek hieros (see ire) + -phobia. Related: Hierophobic.
higgledy-piggledy: "confusedly, hurriedly," 1590s, a "vocal gesture" [OED] probably formed from pig and the animal's suggestions of mess and disorder. Reduplications in the h-/p- pattern are common (as in hanky-panky, hocus-pocus, hinch(y)-pinch(y), an obsolete children's game, attested from c. 1600).

Edward Moor, "Suffolk Words and Phrases" (London, 1823), quotes a list of "conceited rhyming words or reduplications" from the 1768 edition of John Ray's "Collection of English Words Not Generally Used," all said to "signify any confusion or mixture;" the list has higgledy-piggledy, hurly-burly, hodge-podge, mingle-mangle, arsy-versy, kim-kam, hub-bub, crawly-mauly, and hab-nab. "To which he might have added," Moor writes, crincum-crankum, crinkle-crankle, flim-flam, fiddle-faddle, gibble-gabble, harum-scarum, helter-skelter, hiccup-suickup, hocus-pocus, hotch-potch, hugger-mugger, hum-drum, hum-strum, hurry-scurry, jibber-jabber, prittle-prattle, shilly-shally, tittle-tattle, and topsy-turvy. Many of these date to the 16th century.
high (adj.): Old English heh (Anglian), heah (West Saxon) "of great height, tall, conspicuously elevated; lofty, exalted, high-class," from Proto-Germanic *haukhaz (source also of Old Saxon hoh, Old Norse har, Danish høi, Swedish hög, Old Frisian hach, Dutch hoog, Old High German hoh, German hoch, Gothic hauhs "high;" also German Hügel "hill," Old Norse haugr "mound"). The group is of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Lithuanian kaukara "hill." Spelling with -gh represents a final guttural sound in the original word, lost since 14c.

Of sound pitch, late 14c. Of roads, "most frequented or important," c. 1200 (high road in the figurative sense is from 1793). Meaning "euphoric or exhilarated from alcohol" is first attested 1620s, of drugs, 1932. Sense of "proud, haughty, arrogant, supercilious" (c. 1200) is reflected in high-handed and high horse. Of an evil or a punishment, "grave, serious, severe" (as in high treason), c. 1200 (Old English had heahsynn "deadly sin, crime").

High school "school for advanced studies" attested from late 15c. in Scotland; by 1824 in U.S. High time "fully time, the fullness of time," is from late 14c. High noon (when the sun is at the meridian) is from early 14c.; the sense is "full, total, complete." High finance (1884) is that concerned with large sums. High tea (1831) is one at which hot meats are served. High-water mark is what is left by a flood or highest tide (1550s); figurative use by 1814.

High and mighty is c. 1200 (heh i mahhte) "exalted and powerful," formerly a compliment to princes, etc. High and dry of beached things (especially ships) is from 1783.
high (n.1): early 14c., "high point, top," from high (adj.). As "area of high barometric pressure," from 1878. As "highest recorded temperature" from 1926. Meaning "state of euphoria" is from 1953.
high (n.2): "thought, understanding," Old English hyge, cognate with Old Saxon hugi, Old High German hugi, Old Norse hygr, Swedish hög, Danish hu. Obsolete from 13c. in English and also lost in Modern German, but formerly an important Germanic word.
high (adv.): Old English heah; see high (adj.).
high hat (n.): 1839, "tall hat;" also used synechdochically for men who wear such hats; figurative meaning "swelled head" is from 1923. Drum set sense is from 1934.
high horse (n.): originally (late 14c.) "fine, tall horse; war horse, charger" (high steed is from c. 1300), also, like high hall, used in the sense "status symbol;" figurative sense of "airs, easily wounded dignity" in mount (one's) high horse "affect airs of superiority" is from 1782 (Addison has to ride the great horse in the same sense, 1716). Compare French monter sur ses grands chevaux. "The simile is common to most languages" [Farmer].
high seas (n.): late 14c., from sea (n.) + high (adj.) with sense (also found in the Latin cognate) of "deep" (compare Old English heahflod "deep water," also Old Persian baršan "height; depth"). Originally "open sea or ocean," later "ocean area not within the territorial boundary of any nation."
high-born (adj.): also highborn, "of noble birth," c. 1300, from high (adv.) + born.
high-chair (n.): child's seat, 1848, from high (adj.) + chair (n.).
high-class (adj.): 1864, from high (adj.) + class (n.).
high-five (n.): 1980, originally U.S. basketball slang, 1981 as a verb, though the greeting itself seems to be older (Dick Shawn in "The Producers," 1968). From high (adj.) + five, in reference to the five fingers of the hand.
high-flown (adj.): "elevated," 1640s, of things; 1660s, of sentiments, etc., from high (adv.) + flown.
high-grade (adj.): 1870, in mining, of ores, from high (adj.) + grade (n.).
high-handed (adj.): 1630s, "overbearing, arbitrary," from high (adj.) + -handed. To have the high hand "have power or might" (over someone) is from c. 1200. Related: High-handedly; high-handedness.
high-heeled (adj.): 1640s, of footwear, from high (adj.) + heel (n.).
high-minded (adj.): c. 1500, "arrogant;" 1550s, "morally lofty, resulting from high principles," from high (adj.) + minded. Related: High-mindedness.
high-pitched (adj.): 1590s of character, "aspiring, haughty;" 1748 of sound, from high (adv.) + pitch (v.1).
high-powered (adj.): 1829, originally of magnification, from high (adj.) + power (v.). By 1840s of engines, 1860s of ordnance, 1900 of automobiles.
high-pressure (adj.): 1824, of engines, from high (adj.) + pressure (n.). Of weather systems from 1891; of sales pitches from 1933.
high-rise (adj.): 1952, of buildings, from high (adv.) + rise (v.). As a noun, "high-rise building," from 1962.
high-roller (n.): "extravagant spender," by 1873, American English, probably originally a reference to a gambler throwing dice.
high-speed (adj.): 1856, originally of railroad engines, from high (adj.) + speed (n.).
high-strung (adj.): also high strung, 1848 in the figurative sense, "having a sensitive nervous system," from high (adv.) + strung. In literal use a musical term, in reference to stringed instruments, attested from 1748.
high-tail (v.): also hightail "move quickly," 1890, U.S. slang, from cattle ranches (animals fleeing with tails up); from high (adj.) + tail (n.). Related: Hightailed; hightailing.
high-toned (adj.): 1779 of musical pitch; 1807 of persons, "having high moral principles; dignified," from high (adv.) + tone (v.).
high-wire (n.): "tightrope," 1961, from high (adj.) + wire (n.).
highball (n.): type of alcoholic drink, 1898, probably from ball "drink of whiskey;" high (adj.) because it is served in a tall glass. The word also was in use around the same time as railway jargon for the signal to proceed (originally by lifting a ball).
highboy (n.): also high-boy, "tall chest of drawers," 1891, American English (see tallboy); a hybrid, the second element is from French bois "wood" (see bush (n.)).
highbrow (n.): "person of superior intellect and taste," 1884, from high (adj.) + brow (n.). Compare lowbrow. The adjective also is attested from 1884.
higher: comparative of high (adj.), Old English hierra (West Saxon), hera (Anglian). Higher education is attested by 1839.
The French distinguish l'instruction secondaire, which includes what we term a liberal education, from l'instruction supérieure, which denotes professional education; but I do not think the corresponding English phrases are used with this distinction. [William Whewell, "Of a Liberal Education in General," 1850]
Higher-up (n.) "one in a superior post" is from 1905, American English.
highest: superlative of high (adj.), Old English hiehst, heahst, heagost. As a noun, "Supreme Being, God," in Old English. Biblical in the highest translates Latin in excelsis, Greek en hypsostois.