Citations:at the high port

For the time being, I'm going to store quotations relating to "at the high port", "in the high port (position)", and "high port" here. — Beobach972 02:32, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

high port

 * 1) applies to more than just weapons:
 * 2) *1976, Robert Scott, Lacrosse: Technique and Tradition:
 * BASIC RULES
 * 1. All defenders keep their sticks in the high-port position above their heads and in the passing lanes of the extra-man offense.

at the high port: of men, carrying

 * 1) this could support either the "quick" sense, or a new sense of " (of men) while carrying instruments (weapons, lacrosse sticks, etc) at the high point position":
 * 2) *1968, Robert Debls Heinl, Victory at High Tide:
 * Just after three, with the final urging of a flame tank, the Communists caved in ahead of Taplett. Moving at the high port up Kwangwhamun Boulevard, Company G, 5th Marines, burst into the Court of the Lions...

at the high port: of weapons, unclear

 * 1) this supports the military sense, "(of weapons) held", but it isn't clear whether "over the head" or in the other position:
 * 2) *2002, Olivia Manning, The Battle Lost and Won:
 * Walking two or three yards apart, their rifles held at the high port, bayonets fixed, the men went at a sort of crawling trudge under the shower of shells and mortars.
 * 1) this supports a military, "(of weapons)" sense, and also uses other interesting words:
 * 2) *2005, Garrie Hutchinson, Eyewitness: Australians write from the front-line:
 * I saw a sight that I'll never forget. Advancing along the side of the spur as if they were on parade, with their rifles held at the high port, was a line of our boys. [...] I thought that I was all on my own until I went for a bit of a walk under the bank, and there, in a dugout, found a cold-footer of the 12th Brigade, who had funked it at the last minute. He had such a plausible tale that I did not tumble to him till afterwards.
 * 1) this shows that the phrase applies to more than just rifles and firearms (firearms->bayonets->everything):
 * 2) *1943, George Henry Johnston, The toughest fighting in the world:
 * Their bayonets were at the high port.
 * 1) * 1997, Robin Chapman, The secret of the world:
 * [...] I hear the militia captain shouting orders and his musketeers are ramming their balls down their muzzles and I reckon my and the lads better issue forth or else. Like it's now or never. 'Charge!' I yell. And out we go - the whole mob of us, our blood up, crowbars at the high port, axe-handles swinging, grenades ready, [...]
 * [...] I hear the militia captain shouting orders and his musketeers are ramming their balls down their muzzles and I reckon my and the lads better issue forth or else. Like it's now or never. 'Charge!' I yell. And out we go - the whole mob of us, our blood up, crowbars at the high port, axe-handles swinging, grenades ready, [...]

at the high port: of weapons, NOT over head

 * 1) this supports an explicitly different "(of men)" sense:
 * 2) *2002, Max Arthur, Forgotten Voices of the Great War:
 * When you get out on top you try and keep in as straight a line as possible. You're spaced at three to four yards intervals and you go forward at the high port, that is, with the rifle diagonally across your chest and the bayonet pointing upwards towards the sky.

at the high port: by extension, of anything, held in front

 * 1) this supports a new "(by extension)" sense:
 * 2) *1985, Punch, Volume 289:
 * Among the other Americans was a bright, bird-like lady with her note-book at the high port and her biro uncapped and ready...
 * 1) * 1970, West coast review, Volumes 5-6
 * Two seconds later Charlie comes out with his hand at the high port, ready for shaking.