also high strung, 1848 in the figurative sense, "having a sensitive nervous system," from high (adv.) + strung. In literal use a musical term, in reference to stringed instruments, attested from 1748.
Entries linking to high-strung
high adv.
Old English heah; see high (adj.).
strung
past tense and past participle of string (v.). From 1680s as an adjective; in reference to nerves, feelings, etc., from 1840. Strung out is from 1902 as "spread out in a line;" slang meaning "addicted" is recorded from 1959.