aloft
/əˈlɒft
/adjective & adverb
1Up in or into the air; overhead: [as predicative adjective]: the congregation sways, hands aloft [as adverb]: she held her glass aloft...
- Jesus held his hand aloft above his eyes, so as to shield his vision from the glare of the sun, and blew wind through his lips.
- I was woken, however, by the light of a candle being held aloft above my face, and the sight of Gerald peering down at me anxiously.
- Key seemed too dumbfounded at the fusion to do anything more than keep himself aloft above the pool.
Synonyms
upwards, up, high, higher, into the air, into the sky, skyward, on high, heavenward
in the air, in the sky, high up, up, high, up above, on high, overhead, above
1.1Up the mast or into the rigging of a ship: Tom went aloft with the bosun...
- If you are thinking about buying a sailboat, ask the surveyor if the rigging will be inspected aloft or from the deck.
- He addressed the sailor that was aloft clutching the rigging for dear life.
- To have the ship's company clearly visible on deck, or in the days of sail, aloft on the yards, meant that the guns were not manned.
Origin
Middle English: from Old Norse á lopt, á lopti, from á 'in, on, to' + lopt 'air'.
Aloft is from Old Norse á lopt, from á ‘in, on, to’ and lopt ‘air’.