English [ edit ]

Alternative forms [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ]

An allusion to the best and costliest cuts of meat from a hog, considered to be parts above the belly such as the loin, rather than lower parts such as the feet, knuckles, hocks, belly, and jowls.

US, late 1800s;[1] popularized 1940s. The variant forms – live/eat and on/off – are attested since at least the 1930s.

Pronunciation [ edit ]

Audio (AU)

Adverb [ edit ]

high on the hog (comparative higher on the hog, superlative highest on the hog)

( idiomatic , US ) Well off; living comfortably or extravagantly due to great wealth or financial security. Ever since his promotion, they’ve been living high on the hog. 1912 , George S. Jack, Edward Boyle Jacobs, History of Roanoke County, p. 29: With all the tenderloin, spareribs and backbones, we lived “high off the hog” .

, George S. Jack, Edward Boyle Jacobs, p. 29: 1927 , Allegheny Regional Advisory Board, Proceedings of the regular meeting, , page 21: Down our way there is a favorite expression used quite often— “eating high on the hog” . That is what our competitors have been doing…

1934 , Time, Volume 24, p. 68: The synthetic belle wins the prize and her creators are eating high off the hog until the nation’s Press demands a look at the original.

, Volume 24, p. 68: 2006, Julia Spencer-Fleming, All Mortal Flesh: A Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery : If she was pulling this scam off all that time, I think she'd be living a little higher on the hog, don't you?

Usage notes [ edit ]

Often used in the expressions “living high on the hog” and “eating high on the hog.”

The opposite, “low on the hog”, is much more rarely used.

See also [ edit ]

References [ edit ]