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   lift

   /lɪft/

   verb

   • 1. raise to a higher position or level: "he lifted his trophy over his head" Similar raisehoistheavehaul upupliftheftboostraise up/aloftupraiseelevatethrusthold highbear aloftpick upgrabtake upscoop upgather upsnatch upwinch upjack uplever upcarrymanhandleinformal:humprare:upheaveimproveboostenhancemake betterinvigoraterevitalizeupgradeameliorateOpposite dropput downworsenimpair
   • ▪ move (one's eyes or face) to face upwards and look at someone or something: "he lifted his eyes for an instant"
   • ▪ move upwards; be raised: "Thomas's eyelids drowsily lifted"
   • ▪ (of a cloud, fog, etc.) move upwards or away: "the factory smoke hung low, never lifted" Similar clearrisedispersedissipatedisappearvanishdissolvebe dispelledthin outscatterOpposite appear
   • ▪ increase the volume of (one's voice): "she lifted her voice in a great shout" Similar amplifyraisemake louderloudenincreaseOpposite softenquieten
   • ▪ increase (a price or amount): "the building society lifted its interest rates by 0.75 of a point"
   • ▪ hit or kick (a ball) high into the air.
   • ▪ improve the rank or position of (a person or team): "this victory lifted United into third place"
   • ▪ perform cosmetic surgery on (part of the body) to reduce sagging: "surgeons lift and remove excess skin from the face and neck"
   • ▪ dig up (plants or root vegetables): "the end of September is the time to lift and store carrots" Similar dig uppickpull updig out of the groundroot outunearthtake upOpposite plantsow
   • 2. pick up and move to a different position: "he lifted her down from the pony's back"
   • ▪ transport by air: "a helicopter lifted 11 crew to safety from the ship" Similar airlifttransport by airtransportmovetransferflyconveyshift
   • ▪ enable (someone or something) to escape from an unpleasant situation: "the best way to lift nations out of poverty is through trade" Similar improveboostenhancemake betterinvigoraterevitalizeupgradeameliorateOpposite worsenimpair
   • 3. raise (a person's spirits or confidence): "we heard inspiring talks which lifted our spirits" Similar boostraisebuoy upelevategive a lift tocheer upperk upenlivenupliftbrighten uplightenginger upgladdenencouragestimulatearousereviverestoreinformal:buck upjazz upOpposite subdue
   • ▪ (of a person's mood) become happier: "suddenly his heart lifted and he could have wept with relief"
   • 4. formally remove or end (a legal restriction, decision, or ban): "the European Community lifted its oil embargo against South Africa" Similar cancelraiseremovewithdrawrevokerescindannulvoiddiscontinuecountermandrelaxendstopterminateOpposite establishimpose
   • 5. carry off or win (a prize or event): "she staged a magnificent comeback to lift the British Open title"
   • ▪ use (a person's work or ideas) without permission or acknowledgement: "this is a hackneyed adventure lifted straight from a vintage Lassie episode" Similar plagiarizepiratecopyreproducepoachstealborrowinformal:cribrip offpinchnick
   • ▪ steal (something): informal "he had been caught lifting a coat from a department store" Similar stealthieverobpilferpurloinpocketsnatchtakeappropriateabstracthelp oneself toinformal:swipenabfilchsnaffleblagwalk off withliberaterip something offpinchnickhalf-inchwhipknock offtrouserglomtief
   • ▪ arrest (someone): informal "that night the army came and lifted Buckley"

   noun

   • 1. a platform or compartment housed in a shaft for raising and lowering people or things to different levels. British "Alice went up to the second floor in the lift" Similar elevatorhoistpaternoster (lift)dumb waiter
   • ▪ a device incorporating a moving cable for carrying people up or down a mountain: "we zigzagged across the mountain from one lift to the next"
   • ▪ a built-up heel or device worn in a boot or shoe to make the wearer appear taller or to correct shortening of a leg.
   • 2. an act of lifting: "weightlifters attempting a particularly heavy lift" Similar pushhoistheavethrustshoveuplifta helping hand
   • ▪ upward force exerted by the air on an aerofoil or other structure, counteracting gravity: "separate engines provide lift and generate forward speed"
   • ▪ the maximum weight that an aircraft can raise: "the Puma tactical transport helicopter has a total lift of up to 5,500 lb"
   • ▪ the tendency of a ball bowled to rise sharply on bouncing.
   • ▪ a rise in price, level, or amount: "the company has already produced a 10 per cent lift in profits"
   • ▪ an instance of stealing or plagiarizing something: informal "in a speech he adopted the President's familiar hand motions—it was a lift"
   • 3. a free ride in another person's vehicle: "Miss Green is giving me a lift to school" Similar car rideriderundrivetransportationjourneyinformal:hitch
   • 4. a feeling of confidence or cheerfulness: "winning this match has given everyone a lift" Similar boostfillippick-me-upstimulusimpetusencouragementspurreassuranceaidhelppushimprovementenhancementupgradingameliorationinformal:shot in the armOpposite discouragement

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old Norse lypta, of Germanic origin; related to loft.

   Derivatives

   • 1. liftable adjective
   • 2. lifter noun

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • L

     1

   • I

     1

   • F

     4

   • T

     1

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