• Lift

    Pronunciation

    • enPR: lÄ­ft, IPA: /lɪft/
    • Rhymes: -ɪft

    Origin 1

    From Middle English lifte, lüfte, lefte ("air, sky, heaven"), from Old English lyft ("atmosphere, air"), from Proto-Germanic *luftuz, *luftą ("roof, sky, air"), from Proto-Indo-European *lewp- ("to peel, break off, damage"). Cognate with Old High German luft ("air") (German Luft), Dutch lucht ("air"), Old Norse lopt (loft, "upper room, sky, air"). More at loft.

    Full definition of lift

    Noun

    lift

    (usually uncountable; plural lifts)
    1. (UK dialectal, chiefly Scotland) Air.
    2. (UK dialectal, chiefly Scotland) The sky; the heavens; firmament; atmosphere.

    Synonyms

    • (gas or vapour breathed) air
    • (firmament, ethereal region surrounding the earth) atmosphere
    • (the heavens, sky) welkin

    Origin 2

    From Middle English liften, lyften, from Old Norse lypta ("to lift, air", literally to raise in the air), from Proto-Germanic *luftijaną ("to raise in the air"), from Proto-Indo-European *lewp- ("to peel, break off, damage"). Cognate with Danish løfte ("to lift"), Swedish lyfta ("to lift"), German lüften ("to air, lift"), Old English lyft ("air"). See above.

    Verb

    1. (transitive, intransitive) To raise or rise.The fog eventually lifted, leaving the streets clear.You never lift a finger to help me!
      • 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I,Their walk had continued not more than ten minutes when they crossed a creek by a wooden bridge and came to a row of mean houses standing flush with the street. At the door of one, an old black woman had stooped to lift a large basket, piled high with laundered clothes.
    2. (transitive, slang) To steal.
      • Wodehouse Offing|VI|“Wilbert Cream is a ... what's the word?” I referred to the letter. “A kleptomaniac ... Does any thought occur to you?” “It most certainly does. I am thinking of your uncle's collection of old silver.” “Me, too.” “It presents a grave temptation to the unhappy young man.” “I don't know that I'd call him unhappy. He probably thoroughly enjoys lifting the stuff.”
    3. (transitive) To remove (a ban, restriction, etc.).
    4. (transitive) To alleviate, to lighten (pressure, tension, stress, etc.)
      • 2011, September 24, David Ornstein, Arsenal 3 - 0 Bolton, The Gunners boss has been heavily criticised for his side's poor start to the Premier League season but this result helps lift the pressure.
    5. (transitive) to cause to move upwards.
      • 2011, October 2, Aled Williams, Swansea 2 - 0 Stoke, Graham secured victory with five minutes left, coolly lifting the ball over Asmir Begovic.
    6. (informal) To lift weights; to weight-lift.She can lift twice her bodyweight.
    7. To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing.
      • John Lockestrained by lifting at a weight too heavy
    8. To elevate or improve in rank, condition, etc.; often with up.
      • AddisonThe Roman virtues lift up mortal man.
      • Bible, 1 Timothy iii. 6being lifted up with pride
    9. (obsolete) To bear; to support.
    10. To collect, as moneys due; to raise.

    Derived terms

    Noun

    lift

    (plural lifts)
    1. An act of lifting or raising.
    2. The act of transporting someone in a vehicle; a ride; a trip.He gave me a lift to the bus station.
    3. (British, Australia, New Zealand) Mechanical device for vertically transporting goods or people between floors in a building; an elevator.Take the lift to the fourth floor.
    4. An upward force, such as the force that keeps aircraft aloft.
    5. (measurement) the difference in elevation between the upper pool and lower pool of a waterway, separated by lock.
    6. (historical slang) A thief.
      • 1977, Gãmini Salgãdo, The Elizabethan Underworld, Folio Society 2006, page 32:The lift came into the shop dressed like a country gentleman, but was careful not to have a cloak about him, so that the tradesman could see he had no opportunity to conceal any goods about his person.
    7. (dance) The lifting of a dance partner into the air.
    8. Permanent construction with a built-in platform that is lifted vertically.
    9. an improvement in mood
      • November 17 2012, BBC Sport: Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20278355The dismissal of a player who left Arsenal for Manchester City before joining Tottenham gave the home players and fans a noticeable lift.
    10. The space or distance through which anything is lifted.
    11. A rise; a degree of elevation.the lift of a lock in canals
    12. A lift gate.
    13. (nautical) A rope leading from the masthead to the extremity of a yard below, and used for raising or supporting the end of the yard.
    14. (engineering) One of the steps of a cone pulley.
    15. (shoemaking) A layer of leather in the heel of a shoe.
    16. (horology) That portion of the vibration of a balance during which the impulse is given.

    Synonyms

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