Higher than a kite

Posted by Smokey Stover July 18, 2008 at 01:13In reply to Higher than a kite posted by Bob Kay on July 17, 2008 at 19:43:

Origin of "higher than a kite"? It is used to signify feeling great and sometimes as a drug reference to being really "high"?

"High" has been used at least since the 17th century to signify intoxicated or drunk. High as a kite means very drunk, and has been around in the U.S. at least since the 1930s. "Higher than a kite" is just a variant of "high as a kite." In practical terms, high as a kite is close enough to being off the chart. If someone is feeling high, but has not been drinking, it means that he is feeling intoxicated, but not with alcohol--he could be high on drugs, but he could just be in a state of euphoria.
SS