uplift

Etymology

From up- + lift.

verb

1. To raise something or someone to a higher physical, social, moral, intellectual, spiritual or emotional level.
   At the behest of the London Midland Region, the infrastructure was built with a capability for running at up to 110mph with conventional rolling stock, as well as the raising of speed limits - such as the 60mph over Shap summit uplifted to 80mph. April 8 2020, David Clough, “How the West Coast wiring war was won”, in Rail, page 62
   1. (science fiction) To raise (a nonsentient species) into sentience.
      —genetically uplifted the ancestors of the saurs, and culturally—at least—uplifted the kraken. We are used to thinking of these species as wise and ancient, which indeed they are, but the octopods are their 'Elder Race.' 2003, Ken MacLeod, Engine City, New York, N.Y.: Tor, page 79
2. (law, of a penalty) To aggravate; to increase.
   A man who abused a Police Community Support Officer for being transgender has received an uplifted sentence at Mold Magistrates' Court... At Court the prosecutor applied for the sentence for the public order offence to be uplifted to reflect the hate crime aspect. This resulted in the Court imposing a greater penalty. 2020-01-29, “Transphobic hate crime results in increased sentence for Mold teenager”, in Crown Prosecution Service, London: Crown Prosecution Service, retrieved 2020-01-30
3. (aviation, travel) To be accepted for carriage on a flight.
4. (New Zealand) To remove (a child) from a damaging home environment by a social welfare organization.
   In an affidavit supporting an application for a court order to uplift the child, a social worker said there were ongoing family violence issues between the baby's mother and father. May 9, 2019, “Taken by the state: Don't take my baby”, in Stuff
5. (law, Australia, transitive) To remove (a document) from its current possessor and take it into one's own possession.

noun

1. The act or result of uplifting (in various senses).
   The EMR Regional timetable improvements also include a significant uplift in Sunday services. 2019 October, Tony Miles, Philip Sherratt, “EMR kicks off new era”, in Modern Railways, page 58
   This means that while initial funding will come from the public purse, landowners along the route will eventually pay back a share of the uplift in land values created by the new line. February 10 2021, “Network News: Additional funds enable preparatory work for Ashington reopening”, in RAIL, number 924, page 8
2. (geology) A tectonic upheaval, especially one that takes place in the process of mountain building.
   Recent uplift of the Maine and Oregon coasts has not been enough to "undrown" the larger valleys; the shorelines are still submergent. 1971, George Finiel Adams, Jerome Wyckoff, Landforms, page 143
3. (transport) The picking up and loading of goods to be transported by a mover.
4. (colloquial) A brassiere that raises the breasts.
5. (law) An increase in a fine or penalty due to aggravating circumstances.
   The CMA fined the companies involved £3.4 million, which included uplifts for director level involvement. 2020, David Begg, Economics for Business, page 148