Airlifting

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The procedure of using aviation to swiftly move personnel or freight from one location to another involves specialized machinery
2. The act of moving people or goods quickly through the use of airplanes or helicopters
3. A process that involves carrying cargo or passengers by air to provide fast delivery

Etymology: "Airlifting" is the present participle and gerund of "airlift," a compound formed from "air" and "lift." The pattern is transparent: "lift" in the sense of carrying or raising something, with "air" specifying the medium, so an airlift is literally a lift carried out through the air. The same construction produces "sealift," the older model for the term, which describes moving cargo or troops by ship. The word's sense is narrow and practical. An airlift is an organised operation in which aircraft transport people, supplies, or equipment, often into a place that roads, rail, or sea routes cannot reach. The "lift" element keeps its physical meaning of carrying and raising, so the word stays tied to the image of goods being hoisted and flown rather than to any abstract idea of help or rescue.

Synonyms: transporting, evacuating, hauling, shipping, carrying

Antonyms: landing, dropping, grounding, discharging, releasing