Word: lift Part of Speech: noun Etymology: 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”), related to *luftuz (“roof, air”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *lewp- (“to peel, break off, damage”) or from a root meaning roof (see *luftuz). Cognate with Danish and Norwegian Bokmål løfte (“to lift”), Norwegian Nynorsk and 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". (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)). But perhaps simply from the idea of removing an item from a surface. Pronunciation: /lɪft/ 1. An act of lifting or raising. Labels: countable, uncountable 2. The act of transporting someone in a vehicle; a ride; a trip. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: He gave me a lift to the bus station. Example: Accordingly, in spite of many grumbles and remonstrances from Summerlee, I ordered an additional tube, which was placed with the other in his motor-car, for he had offered me a lift to Victoria. 3. A mechanical device for vertically transporting goods or people between floors in a building. Labels: Australia, India, New-Zealand, UK, countable, uncountable Example: Take the lift to the fourth floor. Example: Even the lift in which the three of them were whirled up to one of the upper floors of the huge building was to the girl a new and delightful experience. Daisy had always lived a simple, quiet life in the little country town where dwelt Old Aunt, and this was the first time a lift had come her way. 4. A mechanical device for raising vehicles for service, so that it is easier for a mechanic to get beneath them. Labels: countable, uncountable 5. An upward force; especially, the force (generated by wings, rotary wings, or airfoils) that keeps aircraft aloft. Labels: countable, uncountable 6. Any technique for lifting weights. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: This is actually an old-school circus lift—the sort of maneuver you imagine guys with twirly mustaches performing using cartoony barbells. 7. The difference in elevation between the upper pool and lower pool of a waterway, separated by lock. Labels: countable, uncountable 8. A thief. Labels: countable, historical, slang, uncountable Example: 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. 9. The lifting of a dance partner into the air. Labels: countable, uncountable 10. Permanent construction with a built-in platform that is lifted vertically. Labels: countable, uncountable 11. An improvement in mood. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: The news rocked us, especially since we were anticipating a lift for our spirits under the grim circumstances. Example: Just to think he had both a mistress and a wife gave him a lift. He needed a lift, for although he'd had promotion, his wasn't an exciting job. 12. The amount or weight to be lifted. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: What's the maximum lift of this crane? 13. The space or distance through which anything is lifted. Labels: countable, uncountable 14. A rise; a degree of elevation. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: the lift of a lock in canals 15. A liftgate. Labels: countable, uncountable 16. A rope leading from the masthead to the extremity of a yard below, and used for raising or supporting the end of the yard. Labels: countable, uncountable 17. One of the steps of a cone pulley. Labels: countable, uncountable 18. A layer of leather in the heel of a shoe. Labels: countable, uncountable 19. That portion of the vibration of a balance during which the impulse is given. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: some measure the total lift and others only the lift on one side, a quantity which is not exactly half of the total lift 20. A morphism which some given morphism factors through; i.e. given a pair of morphisms f:X→Y and g:Z→Y, a morphism h such that f=g∘h. (In this case h is said to be a lift of f via Z or via g). Labels: countable, uncountable Example: For a covering space p#58;#92;tildeX#92;toX a path #92;gamma [i.e. a continuous map #91;0,1#93;#92;toX] in X has a unique lift #92;tilde#92;gamma starting at a given point of p#123;-1#125;(#92;gamma(0)) 21. A shorter extract from a commercial/advertisement, able to be used on its own. Labels: countable, uncountable