lifting
UK[ˈlɪftɪŋ]US[ˈlɪftɪŋ]
n
The action of raising something to a higher position.
n
The action of removing or ending a rule or restriction.
n
The action of taking and using someone else's written work, ideas, etc. as one's own; plagiarism.
Morpheme Breakdown
lift
ing
lift
to raise
ing
noun-forming suffix
Etymology
The word 'lifting' is formed from the verb 'lift' and the noun-forming suffix '-ing'. The verb 'lift' entered Middle English from Old Norse lypta, meaning "to raise," which is related to the Old English word lyft meaning "air, sky," suggesting an upward motion. The suffix '-ing' derives from the Old English -ung, a common device for creating nouns that denote the action or result of a verb. Therefore, 'lifting' literally means "the action of raising." Over time, its semantic field expanded metaphorically to include the removal of restrictions (lifting a ban) and the unauthorized taking of intellectual property, both conceptually linked to the core idea of taking something up and away.
Analysis
Structure: lift (to raise) + ing (noun-forming suffix)
- lift: A word of Germanic origin (from Old Norse lypta), functioning as the core verb meaning to raise or elevate.
- ing: A suffix of Old English origin (-ung, -ing), functioning to form a verbal noun (gerund) or an action noun from a verb.
Examples
The heavy lifting was done by a team of skilled movers.
The government announced the lifting of all travel restrictions.
The journalist was accused of lifting entire paragraphs from a previously published article.