aloft

American  

[uh-lawft, uh-loft] / əˈlɔft, əˈlɒft /

adverb

1. high up; far above the ground.

2. Nautical.

   1. on the masts; in the rigging; overhead.

   2. (on a square-rigged sailing ship) in the upper rigging, specifically, on or above the lower yards (alow ).

3. in or into the air.

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preposition

1. on or at the top of.

   flags flying aloft the castle.

aloft British  

/ əˈlɒft /

adverb

1. in or into a high or higher place; up above

2. nautical in or into the rigging of a vessel

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Etymology

Origin of aloft

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English o loft, from Old Norse ā lopt “in the air”; equivalent to a- ¹ + loft

Example Sentences

A bit of tinkering – stripping the original’s heavy bassline, tossing in his lithe falsetto and a playful guitar to hold everything aloft – made the one-time throwaway into something immortal.

From Salon

On the third try, the pilot finally rose using his instruments alone—without being able to see anything out of the windows—to get them aloft.

From Literature

Fans chanted against the owners and held aloft banners as flares filled the air on Sir Matt Busby Way.

From Barron's

He took hold of the boat with one hand, hoisted it aloft, and led them back to the water.

From Literature

He held aloft a thick strand of silver whistles.

From The Wall Street Journal