at the high port

Prepositional phrase

1. (idiomatic) Held with two hands as in "port arms", but carried well above the head. The high port is often the position taught for running (at the double) or charging.
   • I raced across the desert, rifle above my head at the high-port. A man screamed, and throwing up his hands, rolled head over heels. I jumped over him and kept on running.1943, Francis Jackson, Passage to Tobruk: the diary of a Kiwi in the Middle East
   • If you mistakenly referred to your rifle as a gun, you found yourself doubling around the parade ground with your rifle in one hand above your head at the high port, and your other hand clutching your balls. As you ran you had to shout: 'This is my rifle, this is my gun, this is for fighting, this...2004, Peter Godwin, Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa
2. (broadly, idiomatic) Sticking up; (of hair, etc) standing up at a marked angle.
   • I have seen no more romantic figure than Stewart Carter, his head and shoulders wrapped in a flaming red head-scarf, moustaches at the high port, crouched fanatically over the steering-wheel of a stripped-down Land Rover.1967, Philip Allfree, Warlords of Oman
   • Once, they disturbed a family of forest hog, which trotted off with tails at the high port; once a lone hyena, [...]1986, Nicholas Best, Tennis and the Masai
3. (broadly, idiomatic) Held in front of the body, especially in an authoritative or aggressive way.
   • We can all surely see, though, that there will be heads who will weep for joy at the challenges posed by LFM, which may yet provide for the apotheosis of those colleagues who want to see a full exercise book before issuing a new one. Calculators at the high port they will prowl their schools...1990, Gerald Haigh, “Nipscratting? No thanks”, in Lynn Davies, editor, Equity and efficiency: school management in an international context
   • Thomas Tring, emerging with violin in left hand and bow vertical at the high port in his right, looked about Clark's age, had a long head with thin untidy hair round a clear parting. His accompanist, two yards behind, was ruddy-faced with glasses [...]1991, Stanley Middleton, Beginning to end
4. (broadly, idiomatic, slang) At once, quickly; unhesitatingly, vigorously.
   • Eventually he went off, still bubbling with enthusiasm. When his motorbike was out of earshot I went to look for Smithy. He must have taken off smartly at the high port as soon as he saw Elmer but I ran him down in the end.1981, Dan Davin, Selected stories
   • [...] So we thought we'd better hop our frames out of there at the high port.1982, Roy Parsons, The summer book: a New Zealand miscellany
5. (idiomatic) Positioned ready for immediate use.
   • Two seconds later Charlie comes out with his hand at the high port, ready for shaking.1970, West coast review, volumes 5-6
   • Among the other Americans was a bright, bird-like lady with her note-book at the high port and her biro uncapped and ready...1985, Punch, volume 289

   Synonyms:

   at the ready