From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishliftlift1 /lɪft/ ●●● S2 W2 verb 1 
move something upwards [transitive] (also lift up)LIFT 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/something onto/into/out of etc something They lifted Andrew onto the bed.lift somebody from something The driver was lifted from the wreck.2 part of the body [intransitive, transitive] (also lift up)LIFTUP to move part of your body up to a higher position SYN raiselift 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]LAW to remove a rule or a law that says that something is not allowedlift a restriction/an embargo/sanctions etc The government plans to lift its ban on cigar imports.4 by plane [transitive always + adverb/preposition]TAKE/BRING 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)6 → lift somebody’s spirits7 clouds/mist [intransitive]DISAPPEAR if cloud or mist lifts, it disappears 8 sad feelings [intransitive]FEEL HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED ETC if feelings of sadness lift, they disappear Jan’s depression seemed to be lifting at last.9 use somebody’s ideas/words [transitive]COPY 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 etclift something from somebody/something The words were lifted from an article in a medical journal.10 steal [transitive] informalSTEAL to steal somethinglift something from somebody/something They had lifted dozens of CDs from the store.11 voice [transitive] (also lift up) literaryLOUD/NOISY if you lift your voice, you speak, shout, or sing more loudly SYN raise12 increase [transitive]INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 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.THESAURUSlift (up) to move something or someone upwards to a higher position, especially something heavy, either by using your hands or a machineYou shouldn’t lift anything heavy if you have a bad back.She lifted the lid from a huge pot and took a sniff.They lifted me onto a stretcher and took me to the ambulance.He lifted the girl up onto his knee.They used a crane to lift the carriages back onto the rails.The massive bull lifted him bodily into the air and shook him repeatedly.raise to lift something to a higher position for a short time before lowering it again. Raise is more formal than liftThe bridge can be raised to allow ships to pass under it.‘Cheers, everyone!’ said Larry, raising his glass.pick up to lift something up from the ground, from a table etc, especially something small or lightShe picked up her bag and left the room.Tom picked the papers up off the floor.Why don’t you just pick up the phone and call him?Maurin picked up the gun and put it in his pocket.The lioness picked her cub up by its neck.There are papers all over the floor – could you pick them up and put them away?The little girl’s mother laughed and bent down to pick her up.The vacuum cleaner won’t pick this stuff up.scoop up to lift someone or something quickly from the ground, from a table etc, using your hand or armShe bent down and scooped up the little dog.hoist to lift up something which is heavy and difficult to carryJoe picked up the sack and hoisted it onto the truck.The crowd hoisted him onto their shoulders and carried him triumphantly down the main street.elevate technical to lift something to a higher position and keep it thereThe doctor advised me to rest and elevate my ankle.put your hand up to lift your arm into the air, for example because you want to speak in a class or when votingPut your hand up if you know the answer. → lift off→ See Verb table
move something upwards [transitive] (also lift up)LIFT 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/something onto/into/out of etc something They lifted Andrew onto the bed.lift somebody from something The driver was lifted from the wreck.2 part of the body [intransitive, transitive] (also lift up)LIFTUP to move part of your body up to a higher position SYN raiselift 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]LAW to remove a rule or a law that says that something is not allowedlift a restriction/an embargo/sanctions etc The government plans to lift its ban on cigar imports.4 by plane [transitive always + adverb/preposition]TAKE/BRING 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)6 → lift somebody’s spirits7 clouds/mist [intransitive]DISAPPEAR if cloud or mist lifts, it disappears 8 sad feelings [intransitive]FEEL HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED ETC if feelings of sadness lift, they disappear Jan’s depression seemed to be lifting at last.9 use somebody’s ideas/words [transitive]COPY 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 etclift something from somebody/something The words were lifted from an article in a medical journal.10 steal [transitive] informalSTEAL to steal somethinglift something from somebody/something They had lifted dozens of CDs from the store.11 voice [transitive] (also lift up) literaryLOUD/NOISY if you lift your voice, you speak, shout, or sing more loudly SYN raise12 increase [transitive]INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 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.THESAURUSlift (up) to move something or someone upwards to a higher position, especially something heavy, either by using your hands or a machineYou shouldn’t lift anything heavy if you have a bad back.She lifted the lid from a huge pot and took a sniff.They lifted me onto a stretcher and took me to the ambulance.He lifted the girl up onto his knee.They used a crane to lift the carriages back onto the rails.The massive bull lifted him bodily into the air and shook him repeatedly.raise to lift something to a higher position for a short time before lowering it again. Raise is more formal than liftThe bridge can be raised to allow ships to pass under it.‘Cheers, everyone!’ said Larry, raising his glass.pick up to lift something up from the ground, from a table etc, especially something small or lightShe picked up her bag and left the room.Tom picked the papers up off the floor.Why don’t you just pick up the phone and call him?Maurin picked up the gun and put it in his pocket.The lioness picked her cub up by its neck.There are papers all over the floor – could you pick them up and put them away?The little girl’s mother laughed and bent down to pick her up.The vacuum cleaner won’t pick this stuff up.scoop up to lift someone or something quickly from the ground, from a table etc, using your hand or armShe bent down and scooped up the little dog.hoist to lift up something which is heavy and difficult to carryJoe picked up the sack and hoisted it onto the truck.The crowd hoisted him onto their shoulders and carried him triumphantly down the main street.elevate technical to lift something to a higher position and keep it thereThe doctor advised me to rest and elevate my ankle.put your hand up to lift your arm into the air, for example because you want to speak in a class or when votingPut your hand up if you know the answer. → lift off→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
lift• And now I believed the curse must be lifted.• His doctor has told him that he must not lift anything heavy.• Lower prices should eventually lift corporate profits.• One paragraph of his essay has been lifted from an economics textbook.• The movie's ending was lifted from Frankenheimer's "Black Sunday."• He lifted Goldman again, wrapping his arms round the man, but couldn't make him move towards the car.• The massive bull lifted him bodily into the air and shook him repeatedly.• He lifted his head and stared at me.• He lifted his head to see who was at the door.• How quickly he was able to lie, how baldly, quick and bald, and it lifted his spirit.• The government plans to lift its ban on cigar imports.• Blown by a sudden breeze, the balloon lifted just beyond his reach.• They lifted me onto a stretcher and took me to the ambulance.• I was feeling so weak that I could hardly lift my head from the pillow.• The plot of the play had been lifted straight out of an old episode of "The Honeymooners."• Can you help me lift the big boxes?• Firemen had to use a mobile crane to lift the carriages back onto the rails.• She lifted the lid from a huge pot and took a sniff.• He lifted the sheet nearer him.• The Panel considered lifting the supervision order, but didn't.• The respirator worked by alternately pressing on the chest and lifting to bring air in and out.• The child lifted up her arms, asking to be picked up.• I'm so tired I can't even lift up my arms.• Lie on your side, use your hand for support, and lift your leg to the level of your shoulder.lift somebody/something onto/into/out of etc something• A precious victory over Glenn Hoddle's Southampton would have lifted them out of the bottom three above Middlesbrough.• And the past two decades have delivered an extraordinary rate of growth that has lifted millions out of poverty.• He lifted one arm out of the water and raised it toward the trees.• I lifted him out of bed, warm and loose, and carried him to the pickup.• She spun me around, lifted Janir out of the carrier and immediately opened her shirt.• The Government's emphasis has been on lifting people out of poverty by getting them back to work.• The lotus pads lift themselves huge out of the lake, plates for the gods.• They lifted me out of bed.lift your hand/arm/leg etc• Every feather in her boa fluttered and caressed as she lifted her arm and her glass.• But the horse pond was bottomless ... Carrie lifted her arm and threw the skull as hard as she could.• The student lifts his leg into the air and places it on his partner's shoulder.• A man at port lifted his arm one way and a second at starboard lifted his another.• He lifted his hands to wipe away the tears and saw dark brown slime.• She can't lift her arms up.liftlift2 ●●● S3 W3 noun 1 in a building [countable] British EnglishTD a machine that you can ride in, that moves up and down between the floors in a tall building SYN elevator American English They took the lift down to the bar. It’s on the 3rd floor. Let’s use the lift.2 in a car [countable]DRIVE if you give someone a lift, you take them somewhere in your car SYN ride Do you want a lift into town? John gave me a lift home. He very kindly offered me a lift.3 → give somebody/something a lift4 lifting movementUP [countable] a movement in which something is lifted or raised up She does sit-ups and leg lifts every morning.5 wind/aircraft [uncountable]TTA the pressure of air that keeps something such as an aircraft up in the air or lifts it higher → chairlift, ski liftExamples from the Corpus
lift• Pedro stopped to give me a lift.• I accepted her offer of a lift home.• Never accept lifts from strangers.• Dead lift Squat down with your feet just over shoulder width apart.• Even the fork lifts have computer screens.• Days are not spent zigzagging across the mountain from one lift to the next.• I was on the second lift with Bravo Com-pany.• As it turned out, it was Farragut himself who gave the Union its first substantial lift that summer.• The lift carried on upwards and Juliet followed the other visitors into Hunter Ward.took the lift• She walked round to the main entrance and took the lift.• A chill suddenly struck her, as they left the Aston Martin and took the lift back up to Guy's penthouse apartment.• I signed in; took the lift with a bored porter to my room, which was twin-bedded, overlooking the park.• Tabitha Jute and Marco Metz took the lift to street level.• Pascoe took the lift back down a floor.gave ... a lift• They stopped the cab and gave him a lift home, teasing him lightly about the toasts.• But an emergency medical team from Dagestan gave this reporter a lift to the field hospital located just outside the town.• Well, perhaps Warner had seen her waiting for a bus or hitchhiking to the inaugural and generously gave her a lift.• I gave him a lift into Honolulu one night when his car had broken down.• The launch gave us a lift over, to save us waiting for the ferry in the morning, that is all.• Norman gave John a lift home in his Range-Rover.• That still gave him a lift.• Our Verdict: We especially liked the facial saunas, a relaxing treatment that gave a lift to tired skin.From Longman Business Dictionaryliftlift /lɪft/ verb [transitive]1to make prices, profits etc riseImproving international demand lifted product prices.The interim dividend to shareholders has been lifted from 2.7p to 3.02p.2LAWto remove a law or ruleAfter the exchange controls were lifted, Swedes rushed to invest abroad.the decision to lift economic sanctions against the country —lifting noun [uncountable]the lifting of a ban on trade with the country→ See Verb tableOrigin lift1 (1100-1200) Old Norse lypta 