to lift

1 9.9

To remove a person's scalp often as a violent act

verb
/lɪft/

Offensive

: arrancar el cuero cabelludo

"D'Cey went down on one knee, and a grinning Kazak lifted Alexis's head by the hair.
lift the scalp

Examples

Then Hoag lifts Archer's face off of his skull.

Fiction book (1997)
He lifts her by the hair.

Fiction book (1998)
No wonder Snakes and Sheyenna tried to lift this boy's hair.

Fiction book (1995)
In ancient battles, some tribes would lift their enemies' scalps as trophies of war to show their strength.
The young warriors participated in a ritual where they would lift the scalps of their fallen foes as a mark of honor.
Historical accounts reveal that some Native American groups would lift the scalp of their enemies after a victory in battle.

Synonyms

to scalp

vsto lift

Offensive

8 9.9

Remove the skin and hair from the top of a person's head in a violent act

is more specific and focuses on human victims in historical cultural contexts

Idioms

to lift a finger

Informal

27 5.1

To make no effort to help

to lift one's spirits

8 3.9

To make someone feel happier

to lift the veil

4 7.1

To reveal information that was previously hidden

to lift someone's spirits

1 3.9

To make someone feel happier when they are sad

Phrasal Verbs

to lift up

107 1.1

To raise someone or something to a higher place

to lift weights

23 2.9

Raise heavy objects to make your muscles stronger

to lift off

20 3.9

To rise into the air from the ground like a plane or rocket

to lift up

19 3.7

To make someone feel happier and more hopeful

to lift out

5 2.7

To take something out by picking it up, often carefully or with a tool

to lift one's game

Informal

6.1

Try to do better to meet higher standards

Compounds

face lift

Specialized

7 4.4

Surgery that tightens the skin on the face and removes extra tissue to make someone look younger

ski lift

4 2.7

A machine with seats on a moving cable that carries skiers up a slope

chair lift

3 3.4

Seats hanging from a moving overhead cable that carry people up a mountain

heavy lift

2 6.8

A difficult task that needs a lot of effort

face lift

2 3.8

A cosmetic update to a building or place that makes it look newer

face-lift

1 4.0

A small change to the look of something to make it more modern or attractive

aerodynamic lift

Specialized

1 5.8

An upward force from moving air that holds a wing up

lift bridge

Specialized

1 5.7

A bridge with a section that rises so ships can pass under it

lift capacity

Specialized

1 4.5

The most weight that a crane can raise safely

Alpine lift

5.5

A moving bar on a slope that pulls people up while they keep their skis or snowboard on

lift pump

Specialized

5.6

A machine that moves water from a lower place to a higher place

surface lift

Specialized

5.1

A machine that pulls skiers up a slope while they stay on the ground

T-bar lift

5.1

A ski lift with a T-shaped bar that pulls skiers or snowboarders uphill as they hold it

top lift

Specialized

8.9

The bottom part of a shoe heel that often wears away and needs replacing

Surface Forms

lift infinitive

lifted past

lifted past participle

lifting present participle

lifts third person singular

Etymology

Lift in the violent old sense of taking a scalp means 'to pull up' or 'take away', using the same root 'take up'. That's why stories say enemies would lift a scalp as a trophy.

To raise up

To remove rule

To rise up

To make happier

A free ride

An elevator

To steal

Cosmetic surgery

To do surgery

Upward force

To remove carefully

To harvest plants

To fly goods

To copy words

An upward move

Shoe insert

To shout

Air transport

A rise

To remove scalp