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Webster 1913 Edition

Lift

Lift

(lĭft)
,
Noun.
[AS.
lyft
air. See
Loft
.]
The sky; the atmosphere; the firmament.
[Obs. or Scot.]

Lift

(lĭft)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Lifted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Lifting
.]
[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
.]
1.
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
.
2.
To raise, elevate, exalt, improve, in rank, condition, estimation, character, etc.; – often with up.
The Roman virtues
lift
up mortal man.
Addison.
Lest, being
lifted
up with pride.
1 Tim. iii. 6.
3.
To bear; to support.
[Obs.]
Spenser.
4.
To collect, as moneys due; to raise.
5.
[Perh. a different word, and akin to Goth.
hliftus
thief,
hlifan
to steal, L.
clepere
, Gr.
κλέπτειν
. Cf.
Shoplifter
.]
To steal; to carry off by theft (esp. cattle);
as, to
lift
a drove of cattle
.
☞ In old writers, lift is sometimes used for lifted.
He ne’er
lift
up his hand but conquered.
Shakespeare
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

(lĭft)
,
Verb.
I.
1.
To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing.
Strained by
lifting
at a weight too heavy.
Locke.
2.
To rise; to become or appear raised or elevated;
as, the fog
lifts
; the land
lifts
to a ship approaching it.
3.
[See
Lift
,
Verb.
T.
, 5.]
To steal; also, to live by theft.
Spenser.

Lift

,
Noun.
1.
Act of lifting; also, that which is lifted.
2.
The space or distance through which anything is lifted;
as, a long
lift
.
Bacon.
4.
That by means of which a person or thing lifts or is lifted
;
as:
(a)
A hoisting machine; an elevator; a dumb waiter.
[Chiefly Brit.]
(b)
An exercising machine.
5.
A rise; a degree of elevation;
as, the
lift
of a lock in canals
.
6.
A lift gate. See
Lift gate
, below.
[Prov. Eng.]
7.
(Naut.)
A rope leading from the masthead to the extremity of a yard below; – used for raising or supporting the end of the yard.
8.
(Mach.)
One of the steps of a cone pulley.
9.
(Shoemaking)
A layer of leather in the heel.
10.
(Horology)
That portion of the vibration of a balance during which the impulse is given.
Saunier.
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.

Webster 1828 Edition

Lift

LIFT

,
Verb.
T.
[We retain this sense in shoplifter. L. levo, elevo.]
1.
To raise; to elevate; as, to lift the foot or the hand; to lift the head.
2.
To raise; to elevate mentally.
To thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. Ps. 25.
3.
To raise in fortune.
The eye of the Lord lifted up his head from misery.
4.
To raise in estimation, dignity or rank. His fortune has lifted him into notice, or into office.
The Roman virtues lift up mortal man.
5.
To elate; to cause to swell, as with pride. Up is often used after lift, as a qualifying word; sometimes with effect or emphasis; very often, however, it is useless.
6.
To bear; to support.
7.
To steal, that is, to take and carry away. Hence we retain the use of shoplifter, although the verb in this sense is obsolete.
8.
In Scripture, to crucify.
When ye have lifted up the Son of man. John 8.
1.
To lift up the eyes, to look; to fix the eyes on.
Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld Jordan. Gen. 13.
2.
To direct the desires to God in prayer. Ps. 121.
1.
To lift up the head, to raise from a low condition; to exalt. Gen. 40.
2.
To rejoice. Luke 21.
1.
To lift up the hand, to swear, or to confirm by oath. Gen. 14.
2.
To raise the hands in prayer. Ps. 28.
3.
To rise in opposition to; to rebel; to assault.
2Sam. 18.
4.
To injure or oppress. Job. 31.
5.
To shake off sloth and engage in duty. Heb. 41.
To lift up the face, to look to with confidence, cheerfulness and comfort. Job. 22.
To lift up the face, to look to with confidence, cheerfulness and comfort. Job. 22.
To lift up the heel against, to treat with insolence and contempt.
To lift up the horn, to behave arrogantly or scornfully. Ps. 75.
To lift up the feet, to come speedily to one's relief.
Ps. 74.
To lift up the voice, to cry aloud; to call out, either in grief or joy. Gen. 21. Is. 24.

LIFT

, v.i.
1.
To try to raise; to exert the strength for the purpose of raising or bearing.
The body strained by lifting at a weight too heavy -
2.
To practice theft. Obs.

LIFT

, n.
1.
The act of raising; a lifting; as the lift of the feet in walking or running.
The goat gives the fox a lift.
2.
An effort to raise; as, give us a lift. [Popular use.]
3.
That which is to be raised.
4.
A dead lift, an ineffectual effort to raise; or the thing which the strength is not sufficient to raise.
5.
Any thing to be done which exceeds the strength; or a state of inability; as, to help one at a dead lift.
6.
A rise; a degree of elevation; as the lift of a lock in canals.
7.
In Scottish, the sky; the atmosphere; the firmament.
8.
In seamen's language, a rope descending from the cap and mast-head to the extremity of a yard. Its use is to support the yard, keep it in equilibrio, and raise the end, when occasion requires.

Definition 2024

Lift

Lift

See also: lift

German

Lift

Noun

Lift m ‎(genitive Liftes, plural Lifte)

  1. lift; elevator (mechanical device for vertically transporting goods or people)

Synonyms

lift

lift

See also: Lift

English

Noun

lift ‎(usually uncountable, plural lifts)

  1. (Britain dialectal, chiefly Scotland) Air.
  2. (Britain 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

Etymology 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. 1851 for the noun sense "a mechanical device for vertical transport".

Verb

lift ‎(third-person singular simple present lifts, present participle lifting, simple past lifted or (rare, regional, obsolete) lift, past participle lifted or (rare, regional, obsolete) lift or (obsolete) yleft)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To raise or rise.
    The fog eventually lifted, leaving the streets clear.
    You never lift a finger to help me!
    • c1490, Of Penance and Confession be master Jhon Yrlandː
      Liftand (lifting) thy hands and thy eyen to Heaven.
    • 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.
    • 2015 February 7, Val Bourne, “The quiet man of the world of snowdrops”, in The Daily Telegraph (London), page G8:
      Once it [a snowdrop variety] became established, some bulbs were lifted and passed on to be chipped (i.e. cut into small pieces and grown on).
  2. (transitive, slang) To steal. (for this sense Cleasby suggests perhaps a relation to the root of Gothic 𐌷𐌻𐌹𐍆𐍄𐌿𐍃 ‎(hliftus) "thief", cognate with Latin cleptus and Greek κλέπτω ‎(kléptō))[1]
    • 1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, “chapter VI”, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, OCLC 1227855:
      “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”, in BBC Sport:
      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”, in BBC Sport Wales:
      Graham secured victory with five minutes left, coolly lifting the ball over Asmir Begovic.
  6. (informal, intransitive) 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 Locke
      strained by lifting at a weight too heavy
  8. To elevate or improve in rank, condition, etc.; often with up.
    • Addison
      The Roman virtues lift up mortal man.
    • Bible, 1 Timothy iii. 6
      being lifted up with pride
  9. (obsolete) To bear; to support.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Edmund Spenser to this entry?)
  10. To collect, as moneys due; to raise.
  11. (computing, programming) To transform (a function) into a corresponding function in a different context.

Usage notes

Lift also has an obsolete form liftand for the present participle. The strong forms were common until the 17th century in writing and still survive in speech in a few rural dialects.

Derived terms
Translations

References

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. (Britain, 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
      The 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.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Francis Bacon to this entry?)
  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.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Saunier to this entry?)

Synonyms
Translations
References
  • “lift” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).
  1. ↑ Hlenni in Cleasby/Vigfusson An Icelandic-English Dictionary (1874) p. 270
See also

Anagrams

Danish

Noun

lift n (singular definite liftet, plural indefinite lift)

  1. The non-commercial act of transporting someone in a vehicle: ride
  2. boost

Inflection

Noun

lift c (singular definite liften, plural indefinite lifte or lifter)

  1. carrycot
  2. elevator
  3. lift

Inflection

Dutch

Pronunciation

Etymology

From English lift.

Noun

lift m ‎(plural liften, diminutive liftje n)

  1. lift, elevator
  2. free ride, lift

Verb

lift

  1. first-, second- and third-person singular present indicative of liften
  2. imperative of liften

Hungarian

Etymology

From English lift.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈlift]
  • Hyphenation: lift

Noun

lift ‎(plural liftek)

  1. lift, elevator

Declension

Inflection (stem in -e-, front unrounded harmony)
singular plural
nominative lift liftek
accusative liftet lifteket
dative liftnek lifteknek
instrumental lifttel liftekkel
causal-final liftért liftekért
translative liftté liftekké
terminative liftig liftekig
essive-formal liftként liftekként
essive-modal — —
inessive liftben liftekben
superessive liften lifteken
adessive liftnél lifteknél
illative liftbe liftekbe
sublative liftre liftekre
allative lifthez liftekhez
elative liftből liftekből
delative liftről liftekről
ablative lifttől liftektől
Possessive forms of lift
possessor single possession multiple possessions
1st person sing. liftem liftjeim
2nd person sing. lifted liftjeid
3rd person sing. liftje liftjei
1st person plural liftünk liftjeink
2nd person plural liftetek liftjeitek
3rd person plural liftjük liftjeik

Synonyms

Derived terms

Compound words
  • személyzeti lift (lift/elevator for staff)
  • beteglift (lift/elevator for patients in hospitals)

Italian

Noun

lift m ‎(invariable)

  1. lift / elevator operator
  2. (tennis) topspin

Derived terms

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From English lift.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /lîft/

Noun

lȉft m ‎(Cyrillic spelling ли̏фт)

  1. lift, elevator

Declension

Synonyms

Slovak

Noun

lift m

  1. an elevator, lift

Volapük

Noun

lift ‎(plural lifts)

  1. elevator
  2. altitude adjustor

Declension

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [lɪft]

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