lift
lift — verb
1. to move someone or something upward so that it is no longer resting on a surface
to move someone or something upward so that it is no longer resting on a surface or is higher than before. For example, lifting a heavy suitcase onto a luggage rack or lifting your head after looking down at a book.
Asher lifted his little sister onto the chair so she could see the parade.
lift + object + onto + surface
The window will not lift no matter how hard Michael pushes.
intransitive use: object + lift
Yuki lifted the lid of the pot to check if the water was boiling.
The heavy stone was too large for even two people to lift together.
passive: be lifted
Ada lifted her bag off the floor and hung it on the hook.
- lift weight
- lift the lid
- lift your head
- lift something onto
- lift something off
Grammar Patterns
lift + object + preposition phrase (onto/off/out of/from)
lift + object + adverb (up/higher)
object + lift (intransitive, e.g., The lid lifts off)
Usage Note
This sense can be used with or without an object. When used intransitively, the subject is usually a physical object that can be moved upwards, like a lid, window, or hatch.
Common Mistakes
2. to win a sports competition whose prize is a cup or similar trophy, especially i
to win a sports competition whose prize is a cup or similar trophy, especially in football, rugby, or horse racing
Mateo lifted the championship cup in front of thousands of cheering fans.
lift + trophy name
The young runner lifted the silver trophy at the national athletics event.
Kwame lifted the winners' shield after his team scored the final goal.
No team from this town had ever lifted the cup until last Saturday's match.
lift the cup: fixed expression
- lift the cup
- lift the trophy
- lift the shield
- win
more general; can refer to any competition or prize
- take the title
emphasises becoming the champion rather than the physical trophy
Grammar Patterns
lift + trophy/cup/shield
Usage Note
Commonly used with 'the cup', 'the trophy', or 'the shield'. This sense is most frequent in British sports journalism.
3. to take root crops such as potatoes, carrots, or onions from the soil once they
to take root crops such as potatoes, carrots, or onions from the soil once they are fully grown
The farmers lifted the potatoes in early October before the first frost.
lift + crop name (potatoes/carrots/onions)
Élise carefully lifted each carrot so the fork would not cut the root.
Imran helped his grandfather lift the beetroots and pack them into sacks.
It is easier to lift onions when the soil is dry and loose.
- lift potatoes
- lift carrots
- lift onions
- lift beetroot
- lift crops
Grammar Patterns
lift + root vegetable/plant (potatoes/carrots/onions)
Usage Note
The object is always a crop that grows underground. This sense is not used for fruit that grows on trees or above-ground vegetables.
4. to grasp someone or something and raise them off a surface, often to carry or pu
to grasp someone or something and raise them off a surface, often to carry or put them somewhere else. For example, lifting a baby out of a cot or lifting the books off a chair to make room.
Amihan lifted the sleeping baby from the pushchair and carried her indoors.
lift + object + from + location
Christopher lifted the heavy box off the floor and placed it on the workbench.
The librarian lifted each dusty book from the shelf to wipe the covers clean.
Could you lift your school bag off the chair so our guest can sit down?
polite request: Could you lift...?
Lotte lifted the cat out of the box and set it gently on the rug.
- lift a baby
- lift a box
- lift something off
- lift something out of
Grammar Patterns
lift + object + preposition phrase (off/out of/from)
lift + object + adverb (out/up)
lift + object + to-infinitive
Usage Note
Unlike sense 1 (RAISE UPWARD), this sense emphasises that the lifted object is being moved to a different location or removed from a container or surface, not just raised higher.
Common Mistakes
5. to sing or speak with greater volume so that the sound carries further, especial
to sing or speak with greater volume so that the sound carries further, especially during a musical performance
The choir lifted their voices in a beautiful hymn during the evening service.
lift + voices + in + song/performance type
Emre lifted his voice so everyone in the busy café could hear his poem.
The soprano lifted the final high note and held it for the whole audience to enjoy.
The lead singer lifted her voice above the sound of the electric guitar.
lift + voice + above/over + (sound/noise)
- lift your voice
- lift voices in song
- lift a note
- lower
to speak or sing more quietly
Grammar Patterns
lift + voice
lift + voice + in/into + (song/note/prayer)
Usage Note
The object is almost always 'voice' or 'voices'. This sense does NOT mean simply speaking louder in anger — that would be 'raise your voice'. The focus here is on projecting sound, especially in music or performance.
Common Mistakes
6. to add interest or appeal to something — for instance, using fresh herbs to impr
to add interest or appeal to something — for instance, using fresh herbs to improve the taste of a dish, or rearranging furniture to make a room feel nicer
A squeeze of lemon juice can lift the flavour of almost any fish dish.
lift + flavour/taste
Lotte bought bright cushions to lift the look of her plain white sofa.
lift + the look/appearance of something
Funny photographs on the walls lift the atmosphere of the dentist's waiting room.
Adding a short video clip lifted the presentation and kept the audience awake.
The new lighting lifted the whole appearance of the old theatre.
- lift the mood
- lift spirits
- lift the flavour
- lift the atmosphere
- lift the look
Grammar Patterns
lift + noun (mood/atmosphere/flavour/spirits)
lift + noun + adverb (up)
Usage Note
The object is most often an abstract noun like 'flavour', 'atmosphere', 'appearance', 'mood', or 'spirits'. This sense does NOT take a person as a direct object — compare with sense 7 'CHEER UP' (in a different batch), which takes a person.
Common Mistakes
7. to make someone feel more cheerful or hopeful, especially when they were feeling
to make someone feel more cheerful or hopeful, especially when they were feeling sad, tired, or discouraged
A short phone call from her mother lifted Valentina's spirits after a difficult day.
lift + spirits collocation
The good news lifted everyone's mood around the office this morning.
Listening to cheerful music helped lift Élise out of her gloomy mood.
Seeing the children laugh together lifted the old man's heart.
A warm bowl of soup can lift a person's whole outlook on a rainy day.
- lift spirits
- lift mood
- lift morale
- lift someone's heart
Grammar Patterns
lift + object (someone's spirits / mood / morale)
Usage Note
The objects spirits, mood, and morale are the most common collocates of this sense. Often used with a possessive (her spirits, the team's mood).
Common Mistakes
8. if fog, mist, cloud, or smoke lifts, it gradually becomes thinner and then disap
if fog, mist, cloud, or smoke lifts, it gradually becomes thinner and then disappears completely
The thick fog finally lifted by mid-morning, revealing the coastline.
subject: fog / mist / cloud + lift (no object)
Sahil waited at the airport until the mist lifted and flights could resume.
As the sun climbed higher, the low cloud cover lifted from the valley floor.
By noon the wildfire smoke had lifted enough for rescue helicopters to fly.
- fog lifts
- mist lifts
- cloud lifts
- smoke lifts
- haze lifts
Grammar Patterns
fog / mist / cloud + lift(s)
Usage Note
The subject must be a weather-related phenomenon (fog, mist, cloud, haze, smoke). Intransitive only — you cannot lift fog. Also used metaphorically for a mood or uncertainty that clears away.
Common Mistakes
9. to officially end a rule, restriction, ban, or legal requirement so that it no l
to officially end a rule, restriction, ban, or legal requirement so that it no longer applies
The government finally lifted the travel ban after six months of negotiation.
lift + ban / restriction / embargo / curfew
The school lifted its rule against mobile phones for senior students last term.
Many countries lifted their COVID-era entry requirements during 2023.
The court lifted the order that had blocked construction of the new hospital.
City officials voted to lift the curfew that was imposed after the protests.
- lift a ban
- lift restrictions
- lift an embargo
- lift sanctions
- lift a curfew
- lift a moratorium
Grammar Patterns
lift + object (ban / restriction / embargo / curfew)
Usage Note
The object is typically a legal or administrative restriction (ban, embargo, sanction, curfew, moratorium, blockade). Frequently appears in news reporting. Commonly used in the passive: 'The sanctions were lifted.'
Common Mistakes
10. to take something dishonestly, especially something small or portable that does
to take something dishonestly, especially something small or portable that does not belong to you
Someone lifted Christopher's wallet while he was standing on the crowded train.
informal register for stealing
A shop assistant caught a teenager trying to lift headphones from a store shelf.
Dewi realised her bicycle had been lifted from outside the library overnight.
The owner accused a guest of lifting jewellery from the bedroom drawer.
- lift a wallet
- lift goods
- lift items
- lift from a shop
- lift jewellery
Grammar Patterns
lift + object (stolen item)
lift + object + from + location/person
Usage Note
Informal — not used in official police reports or legal contexts (those use steal or take). Often implies shoplifting or petty theft rather than armed robbery.
Common Mistakes
11. to copy and use someone else's written work, music, or ideas as if they were you
to copy and use someone else's written work, music, or ideas as if they were your own creation, without giving credit
The journalist was fired after readers noticed she had lifted passages from other news articles.
lift + from + source for plagiarism
The student lifted entire paragraphs from a website and did not name the original author.
Folake discovered that someone had lifted her song and released it under their own name.
A famous comedian was accused of lifting jokes from lesser-known performers without permission.
- lift a passage
- lift an idea
- lift text
- lift from an article
- lift from a website
- plagiarise
the formal, academic term; carries a stronger sense of wrongdoing
- copy
more neutral; can refer to legitimate copying
- steal
stronger moral judgment; implies taking what is not yours
Grammar Patterns
lift + object + from + source/person
Usage Note
Less formal than plagiarise and often implies taking without permission rather than systematic academic fraud. The source is typically introduced with from: 'lifted from a blog.'
Common Mistakes
lift off
phrasal verbTo leave the ground and begin to fly, especially for a spacecraft or aircraft.
The rocket lifted off from the launch pad at dawn.
Did you see the helicopter lift off from the rooftop?
To make no effort to help someone, even when it is needed.
My brother never lifts a finger to wash the dishes.
When the team needed extra hands, Sara didn't raise a finger.
lift — noun
1. a machine that carries people or goods up and down between the levels of a tall
a machine that carries people or goods up and down between the levels of a tall building, moving inside a closed shaft
Hari took the lift to the fifteenth floor of the office tower.
collocation: take the lift
The building's lift was out of order, so Karim had to walk up seven flights.
A service lift at the back of the hotel moves luggage between floors.
Élise pushed the button and waited for the lift to arrive.
collocation: wait for the lift
The hospital installed a new lift wide enough for patient beds.
- take the lift
- ride the lift
- use the lift
- call the lift
- service lift
- lift shaft
- elevator
American English equivalent; more common in the US and Canada
Grammar Patterns
take the lift
ride the lift
use the lift
Usage Note
In American English the usual equivalent word is 'elevator'.
Common Mistakes
2. the action of moving something from a lower position to a higher one by using yo
the action of moving something from a lower position to a higher one by using your hands, arms, or a machine
With a gentle lift, Reuben placed the box onto the top shelf.
collocation: gentle lift
The weightlifter's final lift of the competition broke the national record.
Ignacio felt a sharp pain in his back after the heavy lift at work.
collocation: heavy lift
Each lift of the crane moved another steel beam into place.
- gentle lift
- heavy lift
- final lift
- each lift
- the lift of
Grammar Patterns
the lift of [something]
a [adjective] lift
Usage Note
Often refers to a single completed movement or action of raising.
3. the upward force on a wing or curved surface that pushes against gravity and all
the upward force on a wing or curved surface that pushes against gravity and allows an aircraft or bird to stay in the air while moving forwards
The plane's wings create lift as air flows over their curved surface.
collocation: create lift
Without enough lift, a bird cannot stay in the air for very long.
Haruto studied how lift changes when the aircraft flies at different speeds.
The kite's design gives it enough lift even in a gentle wind.
collocation: give lift
Pilots adjust the flaps to control the amount of lift during landing.
- create lift
- generate lift
- provide lift
- enough lift
- amount of lift
- lift force
- upward thrust
more general; thrust includes forward force, whereas lift is strictly upward
- airborne force
less technical, descriptive term
Grammar Patterns
create lift
generate lift
provide lift
Usage Note
Common in technical discussions of aerodynamics; subject is typically an aircraft wing, bird wing, or airfoil.
4. a medical procedure that cuts away loose skin or unwanted fat from a specific ar
a medical procedure that cuts away loose skin or unwanted fat from a specific area and pulls the remaining tissue tight for a smoother appearance
After losing sixty pounds, Valentina decided to have a tummy lift.
collocation: tummy lift
A face lift can tighten the skin around the cheeks and jaw area.
collocation: face lift
The surgeon explained the possible side effects of an eyelid lift.
Mira chose to have an arm lift after losing a great deal of weight.
- face lift
- tummy lift
- brow lift
- eyelid lift
- arm lift
- have a lift
- facelift
the most common specific type; often used generically for the whole category
- rhytidectomy
the medical term for a facelift; very formal, rarely used in daily conversation
Grammar Patterns
a [body part] lift
have a lift
Usage Note
Typically used in compound noun phrases where the body part precedes 'lift' (e.g., face lift, tummy lift, brow lift). Both one-word and two-word spellings are common.
5. a trip in another person's car or other vehicle that you do not have to pay for
a trip in another person's car or other vehicle that you do not have to pay for
Ryan gave Hoa a lift to the train station on his way to work.
collocation: give [someone] a lift
My neighbour offered me a lift home after the party ended.
Élise asked for a lift when she saw Karim driving past the bus stop.
collocation: ask for a lift
Can I get a lift with you as far as the supermarket?
The driver picked up two hitchhikers and gave them a lift to the next town.
- give someone a lift
- get a lift
- offer a lift
- ask for a lift
- need a lift
- ride
American English equivalent; 'ride' is neutral and works in all varieties
Grammar Patterns
give [someone] a lift
get a lift
offer a lift
Usage Note
Fixed expressions are common: 'give someone a lift', 'get a lift', 'offer a lift'. In American English 'ride' is more common (e.g., 'give someone a ride').
Common Mistakes
6. a sudden feeling of happiness or encouragement that comes from something positiv
a sudden feeling of happiness or encouragement that comes from something positive happening
Winning the photography award gave Ignacio a real lift.
collocation: give [someone] a lift
The good news from the doctor was just the lift Iris needed.
A sunny morning always gives my spirits a lift.
collocation: give spirits a lift
Receiving the thank-you letter was a huge emotional lift for the team.
- give a lift
- give spirits a lift
- emotional lift
- real lift
- need a lift
- boost
more general; boost can apply to energy, confidence, or mood
- encouragement
focuses on receiving support from others rather than internal mood change
Grammar Patterns
a lift to [one's] spirits
give [someone] a lift
be a lift
Usage Note
Frequently appears in the fixed expression 'give someone's spirits a lift', referring to emotional rather than physical raising.
Word family
- lifternounB2
- liftingnounB2
- liftedadjectiveB1
- lift-offnounB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
Lift, raise, hoist, elevate, and pick up all involve moving something upward, but they differ in register and connotation. Lift (A2) is the most neutral and common — you lift a suitcase, a child, or your head. Raise (B1) is slightly more formal and often used for body parts (raise your hand) or abstract things (raise prices, raise awareness). Hoist (B2) suggests moving something heavy with effort, often using a rope or pulley — you hoist a flag or hoist a heavy box onto a truck. Elevate (C1) is formal and technical, common in medical or professional contexts (elevate your legs, elevate the discussion). Pick up (A2) is informal and focuses on grasping and lifting something with your hands, often small items (pick up a pen, pick up the phone). For a concrete scenario: you lift a bag off the floor; you raise your glass for a toast; you hoist a sack of cement onto your shoulder; the hospital bed elevates the patient's legs; and you pick up a coin from the pavement.
Common collocations
Etymology
Lift comes from Old Norse lypta meaning 'to raise in the air', which is related to the Old English word lyft ('air, sky') and German lüften ('to air, ventilate'). The basic sense of 'raising something upward' has been in English since the 1300s. The informal meaning 'to steal' appeared in the 1500s, originally as criminal slang. The meaning 'to copy someone else's work' started in the 1700s. The British noun meaning 'elevator' (a machine that lifts people between floors) came into use in the late 1800s, when such devices became common in buildings.