3 VERB If you lift your eyes or your head, you look up, for example when you have been reading and someone comes into the room. □ [V n] When he finished he lifted his eyes and looked out the window.
4 VERB If people in authority lift a law or rule that prevents people from doing something, they end it. □ [V n] The European Commission has urged France to lift its ban on imports of British beef.
5 VERB If something lifts your spirits or your mood, or if they lift , you start feeling more cheerful. □ [V n] He used his incredible sense of humour to lift my spirits. □ [V ] As soon as she heard the phone ring her spirits lifted.
6 N‑SING If something gives you a lift , it gives you a feeling of greater confidence, energy, or enthusiasm. [INFORMAL ] □ My selection for the team has given me a tremendous lift.
7 N‑COUNT A lift is a device that carries people or goods up and down inside tall buildings. [BRIT ] □ They took the lift to the fourth floor. in AM, use elevator 8 N‑COUNT If you give someone a lift somewhere, you take them there in your car as a favour to them. □ He had a car and often gave me a lift home.
9 VERB If a government or organization lifts people or goods in or out of an area, it transports them there by aircraft, especially when there is a war. □ [V n prep/adv] The army lifted people off rooftops where they had climbed to escape the flooding.
10 VERB To lift something means to increase its amount or to increase the level or the rate at which it happens. □ [V n + to/from/by ] The bank lifted its basic home loans rate to 10.99% from 10.75%. □ [V n] A barrage would halt the flow upstream and lift the water level.
11 VERB If fog, cloud, or mist lifts , it reduces, for example by moving upwards or by becoming less thick. □ [V ] The fog had lifted and revealed a warm, sunny day.
12 to lift a finger → see finger
▸ lift off PHRASAL VERB When an aircraft or rocket lifts off , it leaves the ground and rises into the air. □ [V P ] The plane lifted off and climbed steeply into the sky.
▸ lift up → see lift 1 , lift 2 COLLOCATIONS lift NOUN 8
verb + lift : cadge, hitch, thumb VERB
4
lift + noun : ban, embargo, restrictions, sanctions
5
lift + noun : mood, spirits
li ft-off (lift-offs ) N‑VAR Lift-off is the beginning of a rocket's flight into space, when it leaves the ground. □ The lift-off was delayed about seven minutes. □ The rocket tumbled out of control shortly after lift-off.
liga|ment /l I gəmənt/ (ligaments ) N‑COUNT A ligament is a band of strong tissue in a person's body which connects bones. □ [+ in ] He suffered torn ligaments in his knee.
light
➊ BRIGHTNESS OR ILLUMINATION
➋ NOT GREAT IN WEIGHT, AMOUNT, OR INTENSITY
➌ UNIMPORTANT OR NOT SERIOUS
➊ light ◆◆◇ /la I t/ (lights , lighting , lit or lighted , lighter , lightest ) The form lit is the usual past tense and past participle, but the form lighted is also used. → Please look at category 26 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft the N ] Light is the brightness that lets you see things. Light comes from sources such as the sun, moon, lamps, and fire. □ Cracks of light filtered through the shutters. □ It was difficult to see in the dim light. □ …ultraviolet light.
2 N‑COUNT A light is something such as an electric lamp which produces light. □ The janitor comes round to turn the lights out. □ …street lights.
3 N‑PLURAL You can use lights to refer to a set of traffic lights. □ …the heavy city traffic with its endless delays at lights and crossings.
4 VERB If a place or object is lit by something, it has light shining on it. □ [V n] It was dark and a giant moon lit the road so brightly you could see the landscape clearly. □ [be V -ed] The room was lit by only the one light. □ [V n + with ] The low sun lit the fortress walls with yellow light.
5 ADJ If it is light , the sun is providing light at the beginning or end of the day. □ It was still light when we arrived at Lalong Creek. □ …light summer evenings.
6 ADJ If a room or building is light , it has a lot of natural light in it, for example because it has large windows. □ It is a light room with tall windows. ● light|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The dark green spare bedroom is in total contrast to the lightness of the large main bedroom.
7 VERB If you light something such as a cigarette or fire, or if it lights , it starts burning. □ [V n] Stephen hunched down to light a cigarette. □ [V ] If the charcoal does fail to light, use a special liquid spray and light it with a long taper. □ [V -ed] …a lighted candle.
8 N‑SING If someone asks you for a light , they want a match or cigarette lighter so they can start smoking. [INFORMAL ] □ Have you got a light anybody?