Word Direct Answers

What does "lift" mean?

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.

Additional senses

  1. 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. I Tim. iii.
  2. 3.3. To bear; to support. [Obs.] Spenser.
  3. 4.To collect, as moneys due; to raise.
  4. 5.Etym: [Perh. a different word, and akin to Goth. hliftus thief, hlifan to steal, L. clepere, Gr. Shoplifter.] To steal; to carry off by theft (esp. cattle); as, to lift a drove of cattle. Note: In old writers, lift is sometimes used for lifted. He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered. Shak. To lift up, to raise or elevate; in the Scriptures, specifically, to elevate upon the cross. John viii.
  5. 6.-- To lift up the eyes. To look up; to raise the eyes, as in prayer. Ps. cxxi.
  6. 7.-- To lift up the feet, to come speedily to one's relief. Ps. lxxiv.
  7. 8.-- To lift up the hand. (a) To take an oath. Gen. xiv.
  8. 9.(b) To pray. Ps. xxviii.
  9. 10.(c) To engage in duty. Heb. xii.
  10. 11.-- To lift up the hand against, to rebel against; to assault; to attack; to injure; to oppress. Job xxxi.
  11. 12.-- To lift up one's head, to cause one to be exalted or to rejoice. Gen. xl.
  12. 13.Luke xxi.
  13. 14.-- 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.
  14. 15.1. To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing. Strained by lifting at a weight too heavy. Locke.
  15. 16.To rise; to become or appear raised or elevated; as, the fog lifts; the land lifts to a ship approaching it.
  16. 17.Etym: [See Lift, v. t., 5.] To live by theft. Spenser.
  17. 18.Act of lifting; also, that which is lifted.
  18. 19.The space or distance through which anything is lifted; as, a long lift. Bacon.
  19. 20.Help; assistance, as by lifting; as, to give one a lift in a wagon. [Colloq.] The goat gives the fox a lift. L'Estrange.
  20. 21.That by means of which a person or thing lifts or is lifted; as: (a) A hoisting machine; an elevator; a dumb waiter. (b) An exercising machine.
  21. 22.A rise; a degree of elevation; as, the lift of a lock in canals.
  22. 23.A lift gate. See Lift gate, below. [Prov. Eng.]
  23. 24.(Naut.) A rope leading from the masthead to the extremity of a yard below; -- used for raising or supporting the end of the yard.
  24. 25.(Mach.) One of the steps of a cone pulley.
  25. 26.(Shoemaking) A layer of leather in the heel.
  26. 27.(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.

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