Lift

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Lift, n. [AS. lyft air. See Loft.].

 The sky; the atmosphere; the firmament.  [1913 Webster]

Lift, v. t. [Icel. lypta, fr. lopt air; akin to Sw. lyfta to lift, Dan. löfte, G. lÜften; -- prop., to raise into the air. See Loft, and cf. 1st Lift.].

•  To move in a direction opposite to that of gravitation; to raise; to elevate; to bring up from a lower place to a higher; to upheave; sometimes implying a continued support or holding in the higher place; -- said of material things; as, to lift the foot or the hand; to lift a chair or a burden.  [1913 Webster]
•  To raise, elevate, exalt, improve, in rank, condition, estimation, character, etc.; -- often with up.  [1913 Webster]

  "The Roman virtues lift up mortal man."  [1913 Webster]

  "Lest, being lifted up with pride."  [1913 Webster]
•  To bear; to support.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]
•  To collect, as moneys due; to raise.  [1913 Webster]
•  To steal; to carry off by theft (esp. cattle); as, to lift a drove of cattle.  [1913 Webster]

  " In old writers, lift is sometimes used for lifted."  [1913 Webster]

  "He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered."  [1913 Webster]

To lift up, to raise or elevate; in the Scriptures, specifically, to elevate upon the cross. John viii. 28. -- To lift up the eyes. To look up; to raise the eyes, as in prayer. Ps. cxxi. 1. -- To lift up the feet, to come speedily to one's relief. Ps. lxxiv. 3. -- To lift up the hand. (a) To take an oath. Gen. xiv. 22. (b) To pray. Ps. xxviii. 2. (c) To engage in duty. Heb. xii. 12. -- To lift up the hand against, to rebel against; to assault; to attack; to injure; to oppress. Job xxxi. 21. -- To lift up one's head, to cause one to be exalted or to rejoice. Gen. xl. 13. Luke xxi. 28. -- To lift up the heel against, to treat with insolence or unkindness. John xiii.18. -- To lift up the voice, to cry aloud; to call out. Gen. xxi. 16.

Lift, v. i. 

•  To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing.  [1913 Webster]

  "Strained by lifting at a weight too heavy."  [1913 Webster]
•  To rise; to become or appear raised or elevated; as, the fog lifts; the land lifts to a ship approaching it.  [1913 Webster]
•  To steal; also, to live by theft.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]

Lift, n. 

•  Act of lifting; also, that which is lifted.  [1913 Webster]
•  The space or distance through which anything is lifted; as, a long lift.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]
•  Help; assistance, as by lifting.  [1913 Webster]

  "The goat gives the fox a lift."
•  That by means of which a person or thing lifts or is lifted  [1913 Webster]
•  A rise; a degree of elevation; as, the lift of a lock in canals.  [1913 Webster]
•  A lift gate. See Lift gate, below.  [1913 Webster]
•  A rope leading from the masthead to the extremity of a yard below; -- used for raising or supporting the end of the yard.  [1913 Webster]
•  One of the steps of a cone pulley.  [1913 Webster]
•  A layer of leather in the heel.  [1913 Webster]
•  That portion of the vibration of a balance during which the impulse is given.  Saunier.  [1913 Webster]
•  A brightening of the spirits; encouragement; as, the campaign workers got a lift from the President's endorsement.  [PJC]

Dead lift. See under Dead. Swift. -- Lift bridge, a kind of drawbridge, the movable part of which is lifted, instead of being drawn aside. -- Lift gate, a gate that is opened by lifting. -- Lift hammer. See Tilt hammer. -- Lift lock, a canal lock. -- Lift pump, a lifting pump. -- Lift tenter (Windmills), a governor for regulating the speed by adjusting the sails, or for adjusting the action of grinding machinery according to the speed. -- Lift wall (Canal Lock), the cross wall at the head of the lock.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Lift, v. & n.
--v.
1 tr. (often foll. by up, off, out, etc.) raise or remove to a higher position.
2 intr. go up; be raised; yield to an upward force (the window will not lift).
3 tr. give an upward direction to (the eyes or face).
4 tr. a elevate to a higher plane of thought or feeling (the news lifted their spirits). b make less heavy or dull; add interest to (something esp. artistic). c enhance, improve (lifted their game after half-time).
5 intr. (of a cloud, fog, etc.) rise, disperse.
6 tr. remove (a barrier or restriction).
7 tr. transport supplies, troops, etc. by air.
8 tr. colloq. a steal. b plagiarize (a passage of writing etc.).
9 Phonet. a tr. make louder; raise the pitch of. b intr. (of the voice) rise.
10 tr. dig up (esp. potatoes etc. at harvest).
11 intr. (of a floor) swell upwards, bulge.
12 tr. hold or have on high (the church lifts its spire).
13 tr. hit (a cricket-ball) into the air.
14 tr. (usu. in passive) perform cosmetic surgery on (esp. the face or breasts) to reduce sagging.
--n.
1 the act of lifting or process of being lifted.
2 a free ride in another person's vehicle (gave them a lift).
3 a Brit. a platform or compartment housed in a shaft for raising and lowering persons or things to different floors of a building or different levels of a mine etc. b a similar apparatus for carrying persons up or down a mountain etc. (see ski-lift).
4 a transport by air (see AIRLIFT n.). b a quantity of goods transported by air.
5 the upward pressure which air exerts on an aerofoil to counteract the force of gravity.
6 a supporting or elevating influence; a feeling of elation.
7 a layer of leather in the heel of a boot or shoe, esp. to correct shortening of a leg or increase height.
8 a a rise in the level of the ground. b the extent to which water rises in a canal lock.

Idiom

lift down pick up and bring to a lower position. lift a finger (or hand etc.) (in neg.) make the slightest effort (didn't lift a finger to help). lift off (of a spacecraft or rocket) rise from the launching pad. lift-off n. the vertical take-off of a spacecraft or rocket. lift up one's head hold one's head high with pride. lift up one's voice sing out.

Derivative

liftable adj. lifter n.

Etymology

ME f. ON lypta f. Gmc

THESAURUS

Lift

Caelus, Great Leap Forward, Olympian heights, Sunday drive, a leg up, abstract, acculturate, acme, advance, advancement, aerial heights, aerosphere, aggrandize, aid, air, airing, ameliorate, amelioration, amend, amendment, amortize, and, annex, annul, apex, appropriate, arise, ascend, ascent, aspire, assist, assistance, atmosphere, azure, bag, bang, be poised, bear, better, bettering, betterment, billow, biosphere, blue sky, boost, boot, bore, borrow, break, breakers, bring forward, buoy up, burglary, caelum, cancel, canopy, canopy of heaven, caper, carry, cast up, cerulean, charge, chop, choppiness, chopping sea, civilize, clear, comb, comber, comfort, conduct, confiscate, convey, cop, cope, copy, crab, crane, crash, crib, dash, defraud, deify, derrick, dignify, dirty water, disappear, discharge, discontinue, dismantle, dissipate, dizzy heights, drive, dumbwaiter, eagre, ebb and flow, ecosphere, edify, educate, elate, elevate, elevation, elevator, embezzle, emend, eminence, empyrean, encouragement, end, enhance, enhancement, enlighten, ennoble, enrich, enrichment, enshrine, erect, erector, escalate, escalator, ether, eugenics, euthenics, exalt, extort, fatten, favor, filch, firmament, flush, fly, forklift, forward, foster, freight, furtherance, gantry crane, gaseous envelope, go straight, grab, gravity wave, ground swell, hand, headway, heave, heaven, heavens, heavy sea, heavy swell, heft, height, heighten, heights, heist, helping hand, hike, hoick, hoist, hold up, honor, hook, hyaline, hydraulic tailgate, immortalize, improve, improve upon, improvement, inducement, inspiration, jack, jackscrew, jerk up, job, jollies, joyride, kick, knock up, larceny, lard, leg, leg up, lever, levitate, liberate, lift up, lifter, lifts, liquidate, lob, loft, lop, lug, magnify, make accounts square, make an improvement, make off with, manhandle, meliorate, melioration, mend, mending, mount, moving staircase, nick, nip, noosphere, nurture, pack, palm, pay in full, pay off, pay the bill, pay the shot, pay up, peak, perk up, pick up, pickup, pilfer, pinch, plagiarize, poach, pocket, popple, preferment, progress, progression, promote, promotion, purloin, purloining, quiver, raise, raise up, rear, rear up, reassurance, recall, recovery, redeem, refine upon, reform, relief, repeal, rescind, restoration, retire, reverse, revival, ride, riffle, rip-off, ripple, rise, rise and fall, rising ground, robbery, rocket, roll, roller, rough water, run away with, rush, rush of emotion, rustle, satisfy, scend, scrounge, sea, send, sensation, set up, settle, shiver, shoplift, shudder, sky, smash, snare, snatch, snitch, soar, socialize, spin, square, square accounts, starry heaven, steal, stealage, stealing, steep, stick up, stimulus, stop, straighten out, stratosphere, strike a balance, succor, support, surf, surge, surge of emotion, swell, swindle, swipe, tackle, take, take away, take up, terminate, the blue, the blue serene, theft, thieve, thievery, thieving, thrill, throw up, tidal bore, tidal wave, tide wave, tingle, tingling, titillation, toss, tote, touch, tower, transfigure, transform, transport, tremor, tremor of excitement, trough, tsunami, undulate, undulation, up, upbeat, upbuoy, upcast, upgrade, upheave, uphoist, uphold, uplift, upping, upraise, uprear, uprise, upswing, upthrow, uptrend, upward mobility, vanish, vantage ground, vantage point, vault, vault of heaven, void, waft, walk off with, water wave, wave, wavelet, welkin, whirl, whisk, white horses, whitecaps, windlass, wing, withdraw, zenith

ROGET THESAURUS

Lift

Aid

N aid, aidance, assistance, help, opitulation, succor, support, lift, advance, furtherance, promotion, coadjuvancy, patronage, championship, countenance, favor, interest, advocacy, sustentation, subvention, alimentation, nutrition, nourishment, eutrophy, manna in the wilderness, food, means, ministry, ministration, subministration, accommodation, relief, rescue, help at a dead lift, supernatural aid, deus ex machina, supplies, reinforcements, reenforcements, succors, contingents, recruits, support, adjunct, ally, aiding, auxiliary, adjuvant, helpful, coadjuvant, subservient, ministrant, ancillary, accessory, subsidiary, at one's beck, at one's beck and call, friendly, amicable, favorable, propitious, well-disposed, neighborly, obliging, with the aid, by the aid of, on behalf of, in behalf of, in aid of, in the service of, in the name of, in favor of, in furtherance of, on account of, for the sake of, on the part of, non obstante, Int, help!, save us!, to the rescue!, alterum alterius auxilio eget, God befriend us as our cause is just, at your service.

Elevation

N elevation, raising, erection, lift, sublevation, upheaval, sublimation, exaltation, prominence, lever, crane, derrick, windlass, capstan, winch, dredge, dredger, dredging machine, dumbwaiter, elevator, escalator, lift, elevated, stilted, attollent, rampant, on stilts, on the shoulders of, on one's legs, on one's hind legs, elevation, raising, erection, lift, sublevation, upheaval, sublimation, exaltation, prominence, lever, crane, derrick, windlass, capstan, winch, dredge, dredger, dredging machine, dumbwaiter, elevator, escalator, lift, elevated, stilted, attollent, rampant, on stilts, on the shoulders of, on one's legs, on one's hind legs.

VB heighten, elevate, raise, lift, erect, set up, stick up, perch up, perk up, tilt up, rear, hoist, heave, uplift, upraise, uprear, upbear, upcast, uphoist, upheave, buoy, weigh mount, give a lift, exalt, sublimate, place on a pedestal, set on a pedestal, escalate 102, take up, drag up, fish up, dredge, stand up, rise up, get up, jump up, spring to one's feet, hold oneself, hold one's head up, drawn oneself up to his full height.