lift / lift/ • v. [tr.] 1. raise to a higher position or level: he lifted his trophy over his head. ∎  move (one's eyes or face) to face upward and look at someone or something: he lifted his eyes from the paper for an instant. ∎  increase the volume or pitch of (one's voice): Willie sang boldly, lifting up his voice. ∎  increase (a price or amount): higher than expected oil prices lifted Oklahoma's revenue. ∎  transport by air: a helicopter lifted 11 crew members to safety from the ship. ∎  hit or kick (a ball) high into the air. ∎  [intr.] move upward; be raised: Thomas's eyelids drowsily lifted their voices lifted in wails and cries. ∎  [intr.] (of a cloud, fog, etc.) move upward or away: the factory smoke hung low, never lifted the gray weather lifted on the following Wednesday. ∎  perform cosmetic surgery on (esp. the face or breasts) to reduce sagging: surgeons lift and remove excess skin from the face and neck.2. pick up and move to a different position: he lifted her down from the pony's back. ∎ fig. enable (someone or something) to escape from a particular state of mind or situation, esp. an unpleasant one: two billion barrels of oil that could lift this nation out of chronic poverty.3. raise (a person's spirits or confidence); encourage or cheer: we heard inspiring talks that lifted our spirits. ∎  [intr.] (of a person's mood) become happier: suddenly his heart lifted, and he could have wept with relief.4. formally remove or end (a legal restriction, decision, or ban): the European Community lifted its oil embargo against South Africa.5. inf. steal (something, esp. a minor item of property): the shirt she had lifted from a supermarket. ∎  use (a person's work or ideas) without permission or acknowledgment; plagiarize: this is a hackneyed adventure lifted straight from a vintage Lassie episode.• n. 1. something that is used for lifting, in particular: ∎ British term for elevator. ∎  a device incorporating a moving cable for carrying people, typically skiers, up or down a mountain. ∎  a built-up heel or device worn in a boot or shoe to make the wearer appear taller or to correct shortening of a leg.2. an act of lifting: weightlifters attempting a particularly heavy lift. ∎  a rise in price or amount: the company has already produced a 10 percent lift in profits. ∎  an increase in volume or pitch of a person's speaking voice. ∎ inf. an instance of stealing or plagiarizing something. ∎  an upward force that counteracts the force of gravity, produced by changing the direction and speed of a moving stream of air: it had separate engines to provide lift and generate forward speed. ∎  the maximum weight that an aircraft can raise.3. a free ride in another person's vehicle: Miss Green is giving me a lift back to school.4. a feeling of encouragement or increased cheerfulness: winning this game has given everyone on the team a lift.PHRASES: lift a finger (or hand) [usu. with negative] make the slightest effort to do something, esp. to help someone: he never once lifted a finger to get Jimmy released from prison.lift his (or its) leg inf. (of a male dog) urinate.PHRASAL VERBS: lift off (of an aircraft, spacecraft, or rocket) rise from the ground or a launch pad, esp. vertically.DERIVATIVES: lift·a·ble adj. lift·er n.