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to airlift

to airlift

21 4.6
To move people or supplies by plane when other transport is not possible
  • verb
  • /ˈɛrˌlɪft/
translation icon : transportar por vía aérea
  • Within a few days, 6,000 Cameroonian nationals were airlifted out of Gabon, with the total ultimately reaching 10,000.

And also, we have been told from several people that, like, if something serious happens, they'll airlift you off the island.

Examples

  • Your son was airlifted to Atlanta Medical about a half hour ago.

  • At least one man is dead and another airlifted to Edmonton following an accident on Highway 63.

  • And also, we have been told from several people that, like, if something serious happens, they'll airlift you off the island.

  • You were airlifted to the hospital.

  • The US government starts airlifting people out of the country, but guess what:

    Blog text (34)
  • Don is being airlifted to Miami.

  • Of the 11 injured workers who were airlifted to safety, four had severe burns.

    Blog text (24)
  • Natalie was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where she died later that night.

    Academic text (2011)
  • NATO airlifted 5,000 African Union troops into Darfur and helped rotate the forces that are stationed there.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Rescue teams will airlift the injured hikers from the mountain top as the weather worsens.

Synonyms

to fly
vsto airlift
2.3

Travel in an airplane or control a plane

is focused on transport when other ways are not possible
to lift
vsto airlift
  • Specialized
19 6.1

To move people or goods by air to places hard to reach

is the same meaning used as an alternative name in similar situations
to air-drop
vsto airlift
2 4.6

Drop supplies from a plane by parachute

uses aircraft to move people or goods into inaccessible areas, not by parachute drops
to air-freight
vsto airlift
  • Specialized
1 4.2

To send goods by plane for fast delivery

is broader, covering urgent or rescue transport, not only shipments
to airdrop
vsto airlift
1 4.1

To drop supplies or equipment from an aircraft by parachute

involves direct aircraft transport to or from a place rather than dropping
to airfreight
vsto airlift
  • Specialized
4.8

Send goods by plane

is used when moving people or goods especially to inaccessible places

Compounds

A 1948–49 effort by Western countries to send food and fuel to West Berlin by plane

How Far

to export
84 3.1
to airlift
21 4.6
to ship
347 1.1
to transport
377 1.4
to carry
1.0

Surface Forms

airlift infinitive
airlifted past
airlifted past participle
airlifting present participle
airlifts third person singular

Etymology

The verb airlift is made from air and lift, where air is 'sky' and lift is 'to raise'. A helpful image is a plane or helicopter lifting people or goods into the sky to safety, so to airlift someone is to 'move them by aircraft' when other ways are not possible.