Definify.com

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
.
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.