aloft
gb/əlˈɔft/ us/əlˈɔft/
B2
English
~ 26100
magasan, a magasban, fent az árbocon, a kötélzetben
B2
1
magasan
A2
a magasban
A2
Usage pattern:
[something] stays/remains aloft
The kite danced aloft in the strong afternoon wind.
A papírsárkány magasan táncolt az erős délutáni szélben.
From the valley we could see eagles circling aloft.
A völgyből láttuk a sasokat magasan körözni.
The helicopter hovered aloft while rescuers were lowered to the ground.
A single bright lantern hung aloft, lighting the narrow street.
Learner examples
Many birds were flying aloft in the clear sky.
Sok madár repült magasan a tiszta égen.
The small plane stayed aloft for three hours.
A kis repülőgép három órán át a levegőben maradt.
A red balloon floated aloft above the city.
We looked up and saw dark clouds gathering aloft.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use "aloft" before a noun, as in *"an aloft bird"*, but this is incorrect. "Aloft" is an adverb and usually comes after the verb, as in "The bird is aloft" or "The bird flew aloft." Another issue is overusing "aloft" in everyday conversation; in speech, "up in the air" or "overhead" is more common, while "aloft" is frequent in writing.
Meaning
high up in the air
Collocations
stay aloft
|remain aloft
|high aloft
|birds aloft
|aircraft aloft
|balloon aloft
Synonyms
overhead (More common in everyday speech; often used for things above you indoors or outdoors, not just in the sky.)
|
up above (Very informal phrase; more conversational and less literary than "aloft.")
Antonyms
below (Describes being at a lower level or under something, the opposite of being high above it.)
Themes
nature
|travel
|weather
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
high up in the air, above the ground
At or to a great height above the ground or usual level, especially in the air or sky.
C1
2
magasan
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] holds [something] aloft
The captain held the trophy aloft as the crowd cheered.
A kapitány magasan tartotta a trófeát, miközben a tömeg ujjongott.
Protesters waved their signs aloft in front of city hall.
A tüntetők magasan lengették a tábláikat a városháza előtt.
He raised the torch aloft, lighting the ancient stone walls.
She stood on the stage with her medal held aloft for the cameras.
Learner examples
The winner held the cup aloft.
A győztes magasan tartotta a kupát.
Fans waved their flags aloft after the game.
A szurkolók magasan lengették a zászlóikat a meccs után.
He lifted the child aloft so she could see.
She raised the sign aloft so everyone could read it.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes put "aloft" before the verb, as in *"aloft he held the flag"*, which sounds very old-fashioned; in modern English it is more natural to say "He held the flag aloft." They may also confuse this sense with simple "up" or "high"; in everyday speech, "held up high" is more common, while "held aloft" often appears in news or sports reports.
Meaning
raised and held high up
Collocations
hold aloft
|raise aloft
|wave aloft
|brandish aloft
Synonyms
up high (Very common, informal phrase; focuses on height without the slightly dramatic or formal feel of "aloft.")
|
upraised (More formal and literary; often used in descriptions, especially of hands or weapons.)
Antonyms
lowered (Describes something that has been brought down from a high position, the opposite of being held aloft.)
Themes
sports
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
held up high, often over someone’s head
Raised and held high, especially above the head, typically by a person.
C2
TECHNICAL
3
Usage pattern:
[someone] goes aloft
In heavy weather, only experienced sailors were allowed to go aloft.
Viharos időben csak tapasztalt matrózok mehettek fel az árbocra.
He spent the afternoon aloft, repairing the damaged rigging.
A délutánt fent a kötélzetben töltötte, a sérült köteleket javítva.
The captain ordered a man aloft to watch for ice ahead.
Learner examples
The sailor went aloft to fix the sail.
A matróz felment az árbocra, hogy megjavítsa a vitorlát.
It is dangerous to work aloft in a storm.
Viharban veszélyes fent az árbocon dolgozni.
Only trained crew are allowed to go aloft.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this is a special nautical sense and may think it just means "up" in any context. In general English, this use is rare and mostly appears in sea-related texts.
Meaning
up in a ship’s rigging
Collocations
go aloft
|sent aloft
|working aloft
|crew aloft
Synonyms
up the mast (Informal descriptive phrase explaining location; not a single-word technical term like "aloft.")
Antonyms
below deck (Refers to being inside the ship under the main deck, the opposite of being high up in the rigging.)
Themes
transport
|work
|travel
|transportation
Definition
high up on a ship, in the mast or ropes above the deck
On or in the higher parts of a ship, especially in the mast or rigging, above the deck.
Grammar
Dictionary form
aloft
IPA
GB/əlˈɔft/
US/əlˈɔft/
Syllables & stress
aloft (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: aloft
- Plural: alofts
Word family
Forms
alofts
noun
Core family
loft
noun
lofty
adjective B1
Advanced or less common
loftily
adverb
loftiness
noun
Expressions
hold aloft
1/hˈoʊld əlˈɔft/
fixed phrase
hold something high in the air
to hold something up high, usually over your head, so that people can see it
Examples
- The champion held aloft the golden cup as photographers rushed forward.
- Crowds filled the square, many of them holding aloft candles in the dark.
- She held aloft a picture of her missing brother.
raise aloft
1/ɹˈeɪz əlˈɔft/
fixed phrase
lift something high into the air
to lift something up to a high position in the air
Examples
- The workers raised aloft a huge banner that covered the front of the building.
- He raised aloft the torch, and the crowd fell silent.
- As the music ended, the dancers raised aloft their joined hands.
stay aloft
1/stˈeɪ əlˈɔft/
fixed phrase
remain in the air
to continue to be in the air and not come down
Examples
- The drone can stay aloft for nearly an hour on a single battery.
- Strong winds helped the glider stay aloft with very little effort.
- Early balloons could not stay aloft for long before losing hot air.