airlift

[air-lift]

noun

1. a system for transporting persons or cargo by aircraft, especially in an emergency.

2. the persons or cargo so transported.

3. the act or process of transporting such a load.

4. a pump for raising liquids by the pressure of air forced into the pump chamber.

verb (used with object)

1. to transport (persons or cargo) by airlift.

adjective

1. of or relating to an airlift or airlifts.

   to increase the army's airlift capacity.

airlift

/ ˈɛəˌlɪft /

noun

1. the transportation by air of passengers, troops, cargo, etc, esp when other routes are blocked

verb

1. (tr) to transport by an airlift

Word History and Origins

Origin of airlift¹

First recorded in 1940–45; air ¹ + lift

Example Sentences

Military helicopters have been deployed to airlift stranded residents, and deliver food, though one crashed just north of Colombo on Sunday evening.

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They continued to protect the airport for another six days, before they too were airlifted out to the US.

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Ambulance services told AFP a man suffered serious leg injuries and has been airlifted to hospital in a stable condition.

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A girl is in critical condition in hospital after being airlifted from the scene of a serious road crash involving a lorry in County Londonderry.

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Rescue services said they airlifted a man who fell into water at La Guancha in the north of the island, but that he was later pronounced dead at hospital.

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Related Words

• airdrop 
• fly