Emily Dickinson Lexicon

LIFT, v.t. [Sw. lyfta; Dan. löfter, to lift; Goth. hlifan, to steal; Sax. hlifan, to be high or conspicuous; Goth. hliftus, a thief. We retain this sense in shoplifter. L. levo, elevo, It. levare, to lift; Sp. levar, to carry or transport; Fr. lever, perhaps, L. levis, light.]

1. To raise; to elevate; as, to lift the foot or the hand; to lift the head.
2. To raise; to elevate mentally. To thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. – Ps. xxv.
3. To raise in fortune. The eye of the Lord lifted up his bead from misery. – Ecclus.
4. To raise in estimation, dignity or rank. His fortune has lifted him into notice, or into office. The Roman virtues lift up mortal man. – Addison.
5. To elate; to cause to swell, as with pride. Up is often used after lift, as a qualifying word; sometimes with effect or emphasis; very often, however, it is useless.
6. To bear; to support. – Spenser.
7. To steal, that is, to take and carry away. Hence we retain the use of shoplifter, although the verb in this sense is obsolete.
8. In Scripture, to crucify. When ye have lifted up the Son of man. – John viii. To lift up the eyes, to look; to fix the eyes on. Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld Jordan. – Gen. xiii. #2. To direct the desires to God in prayer. Ps. cxxi. To lift up the head, to raise from a low condition; to exalt. – Gen. xl. #2. To rejoice. – Luke xxi. To lift up the hand, to swear, or to confirm by oath. – Gen. xiv. #2. To raise the hands in prayer. – Ps. xxviii. #3. To rise in opposition to; to rebel; to assault. – 2 Sam. xviii. #4. To injure or oppress. – Job xxxi. #5. To shake off sloth and engage in duty. – Heb. xii. To lift up the face, to look to with confidence, cheerfulness and comfort. – Job xxii. To lift up the heel against, to treat with insolence and contempt. To lift up the horn, to behave arrogantly or scornfully. – Ps. lxxv. To lift up the feet, to come speedily to one's relief. – Ps. lxxiv. To lift up the voice, to cry aloud; to call out, either in grief or joy. – Gen. xxi. Is. xxiv.