Uplifts

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. Raises something to a higher position or elevates it ; improves a person's mood or spirits, making them feel happier or more hopeful
2. Lifts or elevates an object or person upward ; brings about a positive emotional change or encouragement
3. Moves an item or individual upward or higher ; enhances emotional well-being by boosting cheerfulness or confidence

Etymology: "Uplifts" is the plural of "uplift," and the plural form also serves as the third-person singular of the verb. The noun and verb both come from "up" combined with "lift," so the word is a simple compound built from two plain English elements. "Lift" traces back to Old English "lyftan," meaning to raise up or to lift into the air, and "up" has always carried the sense of upward movement. Put together, the compound describes raising something higher, whether a physical object, a person's spirits, or a region of land. The figurative sense of encouragement or moral elevation grew naturally out of the literal sense of raising something upward. Calling a kind word or a cheering event an uplift treats the listener's mood as something that can be physically raised, a metaphor that is still widely used in everyday speech.

Synonyms: elevations, raises, boosts

Antonyms: lows, descents