Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1100-1200
Language: Old Norse
Origin: lypta

lift

1 verb
     
lift
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lift1 S2 W2
1

move something upwards

also lift up [transitive] to move something or someone upwards into the air:
Sophie lifted the phone before the second ring.
He lifted the lid on the pot of soup.
The lumber was lifted by crane and dropped into the truck.
lift somebody from something
The driver was lifted from the wreck.
2

part of the body

also lift up [intransitive and transitive] to move part of your body up to a higher position [= raise]
lift your hand/arm/leg etc
She lifted her hand to knock on the door once again.
Pam lifted her shoulders in a little shrug.
lift your head/eyes (=move your head or eyes up so that you can look at something)
She lifted her head to gaze at him.
He heard a scream and the hairs on the back of his neck began to lift.
3

controls/laws

[transitive] to remove a rule or a law that says that something is not allowed
lift a restriction/an embargo/sanctions etc
The government plans to lift its ban on cigar imports.
4

by plane

[transitive always + adverb/preposition] to take people or things to or from a place by aircraft:
More troops are being lifted into the area as the fighting spreads.
5

not lift a finger (to do something)

informal to do nothing to help:
He never lifted a finger to help me with the kids.
6

lift somebody's spirits

to make someone feel more cheerful and hopeful
7

clouds/mist

[intransitive] if cloud or mist lifts, it disappears
8

sad feelings

[intransitive] if feelings of sadness lift, they disappear:
Jan's depression seemed to be lifting at last.
9

use somebody's ideas/words

[transitive] to take words, ideas etc from someone else's work and use them in your work, without stating where they came from and as if they were your own words etc
lift something from somebody/something
The words were lifted from an article in a medical journal.
10

steal

[transitive] informal to steal something
lift something from somebody/something
They had lifted dozens of CDs from the store.
11

voice

also lift up [transitive] literary if you lift your voice, you speak, shout, or sing more loudly [= raise]
12

increase

[transitive] to make prices, profit etc increase:
The U.S. may use tax cuts to lift the economy.
13

vegetables

[transitive]TADLG to dig up vegetables that grow under the ground:
She was lifting potatoes.

lift off

phrasal verb
if an aircraft or spacecraft lifts off, it leaves the ground and rises into the air
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
 
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