[Idiom] flow on high

[SirGod]

A friend of mine told me that he heard on TV (a show) the expression written in the title. The context would be something like:

"Where's Sam?"
"He flowed on high."
"Damn!"

Neither him nor I found it on any website or in any dictionary. I also checked COCA but there's no sign of it. Does anybody know what it could mean?

In case he heard it wrong, here is a possible interpretation: to leave (rather to run) (the house) early in the morning.

 

[Tdol]

Could it have been flew rather than flowed? That would give the idea of leaving, though on high still doesn't work IMO.

 

[SirGod]

Could it have been flew rather than flowed? That would give the idea of leaving, though on high still doesn't work IMO.

Yes, it could be. What would it mean then?

 

[5jj]

As Tdol wrote, 'on high' still doesn't work, but he flew could just mean that he left.

 

[BobK]

Could it have been flew rather than flowed? That would give the idea of leaving, though on high still doesn't work IMO.

Unless it's a euphemistic way of saying 'he died', using the language of the King James Bible - as a certain kind of believer tends to do. ;-) (

There is a similar - rather touching, I think - usage in the (maritime) song Tom Bowling; 'Tom is gone aloft' ('going aloft', in the context of sailing ships, meant 'going to a precarious look-out point - often the "crow's nest"'; but in the song it means 'He is dead'.)

b

 

[SirGod]

I am sorry for reviving such an old thread, but I have one more question. "High" could be a shortened version of "highway", right? And if my friend misheard flew or fled for flowed, it could make sense ("flew/fled on high"), couldn't it?

 

[5jj]

I am sorry for reviving such an old thread, but I have one more question. "High" could be a shortened version of "highway", right? No
And if my friend misheard flew or fled for flowed, it could make sense ("flew/fled on high"), couldn't it? No

Ingenious, but no native speaker would say that.

 

[SirGod]

Ok, now it is all clear to me, I just wanted to run this by a teacher to satisfy my curiosity. Thank you!