▪ I. ˈuplift, n.
[up- 2. Cf. next.]
1. a. The fact of being raised or elevated.
| a 1845 Willis David's Grief for Child 28 His brow Had the inspired up-lift of the king's. 1890 Stanley Darkest Africa I. xvi. 413 There was uniform uplift and subsidence of the constantly twirling spear blades. |
b. spec. An elevation or rise in level, esp. of a portion of the earth's surface.
| 1853 Kane Grinnell Exp. xvii. (1856) 128 The false horizon, which I had selected as an index of the uplift. 1856 ― Arct. Expl. II. vii. 82 Indicative of secular uplift of coast. 1878 Whittier Seeking Waterfall xix, The grand uplift of mountain lines. 1882 U.S. Rep. Prec. Met. 619 The assumption of an uplift or elevation of the Sierra Nevada. |
2. fig. An elevating effect, result, or influence in the sphere of morality, emotion, physical condition, etc.
In very common use after 1890.
| 1873 Holland A. Bonnic. i. 22 But it is impossible that he could know what an uplift he gave to the life to which he ministered. 1885 E. F. Byrrne Entangled II. ii. viii. 255 The uplift of the heart..towards a sterner and more austere allegiance to duty. 1889 Lancet 28 Sept. 661/1 The rapidity of the uplift in health in many of the cases. 1893 K. L. Bates Eng. Relig. Drama 195 The uplift and the glory of conception melted and were gone. |
3. The support or lift gained from a garment that raises part of the body, esp. the bust; the (part of the) garment which achieves this.
| 1929 Radio Times 8 Nov. 435/3 A supporting stocking... Its gentle uplift massaging action has a beneficial effect upon the varicose veins. 1934 Times 22 June 17/6 The skirt covers neatly fitting trunks and clings closely to the figure; the top has a knitted uplift. 1955 J. P. Donleavy Ginger Man xxv. 297 Bras the uplift of which will put a new lust into the hearts of these citizens. 1957 Daily Mail 25 Oct. 10/4 When the vulgarity of too much uplift, too much emphasis on the female form finally overwhelmed us Dior sensed it before we did. 1959 Housewife June 22 The bra that gives a natural uplift. |
4. An increase (in prices, wages, etc.).
| 1949 Times 26 Oct. 5/5 The whole conception of uplift..assumes that the manufacturer of consumer goods has..two prices, one for sales to the wholesaler and one for direct sale to the retailer. 1952 Sunday Express 15 Nov., These appliances are given an uplift of 100% between the maker and the public. 1955 Canadian Tax Jrnl. III. 99 If the price of the transaction differed [from normal]..an uplift would be applied to the actual sale price to determine price for tax purposes. 1962 E. Godfrey Retail Selling & Organization xv. 158 If goods normally purchased through a wholesaler are bought at a lower price direct from a manufacturer, they may be subject to uplift. 1979 Daily Tel. 1 Dec. 21 The Ford agreement..consists of a 20·5 p.c. uplift in wages plus an extra 1 p.c. to cover an increase in the supplementary payment. |
5. attrib. a. In sense 2.
| 1915 Sphere 23 Jan. 110/2, I find in an American paper a scornful reference to one of the ‘uplift’ magazines. 1930 J. Buchan Castle Gay ii. 32 Thomas was beginning to be much in request by uplift societies. 1940 R. S. Lambert Ariel & all his Quality ii. 50 The ‘uplift’ experiment..fell between..the professors of adult education..and the broadcasting experts. 1977 P. Johnson Enemies of Society ix. 122 Schneider and Dornbusch identified four common characteristics in the religion idealized in these uplift books: activism, optimism, individualism and pragmatism. |
b. uplift bra(ssière), a brassière that provides uplift (sense 3 above).
| 1932 Week-End Rev. 1 Oct. 373/1 An ‘up-lift’ brassière would make you look rounder, of course. 1949 M. Mead Male & Female iv. 80 Far enough removed from the up⁓lift bras and the way Grandfather looks when Grand⁓daughter wears one of them. 1957 J. D. MacDonald Executioners (1959) vii. 134 She wore nothing under pants and blouse except an uplift bra. 1977 E. J. Trimmer et al. Visual Dict. Sex (1978) iv. 51 The flavour of that era of uplift bras and pencil-skirts is still nostalgically preserved. |
▪ II. upˈlift, v.
[up- 4. Cf. MSw. uplypta, -lyfta, etc. (Sw. upplyfta), MDa. oplyfte (Da. opl{obar}fte), and uplifted pa. pples.]
1. a. trans. To elevate in rank, honour, estate, or estimation. Also absol. Now rare.
| 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 72 Þe Londreis..Him for þar kyng vplift, his name was kald Edgar. a 1340 Hampole Psalter, etc. 501 Lord makis pore and he makis riche: he mekis and he vpliftis. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 27 Alisaundre put hem under,..So that the Monarchie lefte With Grecs, and here astat uplefte. 1554–9 Songs & Ball. Phil. & Mary (Roxb.) 3 For of balefull branches and fyere brandes of hel To be members of mersye he hathe us up lyfft. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. v. iv. 103 Your low-laide Sonne, our Godhead will vplift. 1860 Pusey Minor Prophets 593/1 He uplifts ordinary things, that they too should be sacred. 1863 Kinglake Crimea I. p. x, That which will uplift the repute of the far-famed Russian infantry. |
† b. To support, assist. Obs.—1
| 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 55 Þei said he did inouh, þe erle alle vplift, Þe kyng forgaf his wraþe. |
c. Sc. To make proud. (Cf. uplifted ppl. a. 3.)
| 1863 J. L. Watson By-gone Days 176 Though she was sae bonny, that never seemed to uplift her. |
d. To elevate morally. (Cf. uplifted ppl. a. 2.)
| 1883 Fairbairn Stud. Relig. & Theol. (1910) 94 The regeneration that changes the man and uplifts the life. 1890 J. Pulsford Loyalty to Christ I. 53 That He may be able to uplift and bless men. |
2. To lift up to a higher level or more erect position; to raise, rear, erect.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter ci. 11 Vpliftand þou downsmate me. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 48, I uplifte Min hefd with that. a 1400–50 Alexander 805 Þen Alexander in ane ire his arme vp-liftis. c 1440 Ipomydon 1911 Hys swerd in bothe handis he toke..And hertely be dyd it vplyfte. 1582 Stanyhurst æneis iv. (Arb.) 102 Theese woords, vplifting both his hands, he toe Iuppiter vttred. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. i. 46 The gentle knight her soone with carefull paine Vplifted light, and softly did vphold. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. v. ii. 211 Slaues..shall vplift vs to the view. 1667 Milton P.L. vi. 646 They pluckt the seated Hills.., and by the shaggie tops Up lifting bore them in thir hands. 1757 Dyer Fleece ii. 234 Soon..the huge stone Up-lifting to the deck, [they] unmoor'd the bark. 1784 Cowper Task iv. 274 The glowing hearth..With faint illumination, that uplifts The shadow to the ceiling. 1820 Shelley Prometh. Unb. i. 159 At thy voice her pining sons uplifted Their prostrate brows. 1846 Hawthorne Mosses i. i. 7 The boy uplifted his axe. 1887 Spectator 7 May 626/1 Some internal force has up⁓lifted the earth's crust along a certain line. |
| Fig. 1594 Spenser Amoretti lxxxii, I..shall all be spent, in setting your immortall prayses forth. Whose lofty argument vplifting me, shall lift you vp vnto an high degree. 1846 J. C. Mangan Poems (1903) 24 On thy knees Uplift thy soul to God alone. |
3. a. Sc. To collect, levy (rents, etc.); to draw (wages).
| 1508 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 256/2 The males, proffitis and dewiteis to rais, uplift and inbring. 1553 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 139 Under the pane of xl lib., to be upliftit and takin of every Provest. 1617 Extr. Aberd. Reg. (1848) II. 354 Vnder the paines following, to be vplifted of the contravenar as oft as they be..convict. 1646 Z. Boyd in Zion's Flowers (1855) App. 31/1, I..give the..Colledge full power to uplift the same. 1710 in Nairne Peerage Evid. (1874) 44 Since we have uplifted two thousand of the three thousand merks due to him. 1753 Stewart's Trial 250 That Glenure..had employed him to uplift the rents from the other tenants. 1869 Act 32 & 33 Vict. c. 116 §7 A power..to enter..the lands disponed in security, and uplift the rents thereof. 1895 Crockett Cleg Kelly xii, He endeavoured to uplift his week's wage before it was due. |
b. More generally, to collect or pick up (something other than money); spec. of a bus: to take up (passengers). Chiefly Sc.
| 1961 Alexander's (Midland) Bus Timetable, Falkirk 171 Only passengers who are travelling beyond Milngavie Cross will be uplifted between Glasgow (Buchanan Street) and Milngavie Cross. 1967 E. Rudinger Wills & Probate 109 The court is asked to confirm that the executors who have sworn the inventory are the persons entitled to up⁓lift and administer the various items of estate listed in the inventory. 1968 ‘S. Jay’ Sleepers can Kill xvii. 175 Somebody..has left a message for Felson. The objective is to uplift the message without being detected. 1976 Buses XXVII. 421 Near-empty SBG buses, none allowed to uplift potential passengers, glide into town. 1982 G. Hammond Game xii. 129 The letter was waiting at the airport for him. I checked up yesterday, and the letter was uplifted. |
4. a. = raise v. 13.
| 1816 Scott Bl. Dwarf xiii, When he first uplifted the psalm in presence of those persons. 1847 Emerson Dæmonic & Celest. Love 26 New flowerets bring, new prayers uplift. a 1850 Bryant Earth 43 Earth Uplifts a general cry for guilt and wrong. 1887 Bowen æneid vi. 174 All now..uplift their voices in grief. |
b. = raise v.1 34. Cf. sense 4 of the n.
| 1962 E. Godfrey Retail Selling & Organization xv. 158 The Inland Revenue Department uplifts the price to what the goods would have cost had they been purchased through a wholesaler. 1971 Timber Trades Jrnl. 14 Aug. 45/2 Devaluation of sterling..technically should have had the effect of uplifting import prices by 16·7%. |
▪ III. upˈlift, pa. pple. and ppl. a.
[up- 5. See lift v.]
= uplifted.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 7086 Almes..ys a ȝyfte; And for þe ȝyuyng, man ys vplyfte. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 987 Wyth lyȝt louez vplyfte þay loued hym swyþe. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 193 Satan talking to his neerest Mate With Head up-lift above the wave. 1748 Richardson Clarissa VI. 63 How many..admirers, with up-lift hands, I should have! a 1822 Shelley Fragm. Unf. Drama 239 O friend, sleep was a veil uplift from Heaven. 1841 Kingsley Palinodia 2 Torrent-furrowed slopes, And bare and silent brows uplift to heaven. 1868 Geo. Eliot Sp. Gipsy i. 60 A figure lithe,..now stood With ripened arms uplift and regal head. |