adv. and prep. Forms: 3 o lofft, 3–5 o loft, o lofte, 4–7 a lofte, 4– a loft, aloft. Also expanded: 3 inne þe lofte, 2–5 on the lofte, 4 on þe loft, 4–5 on lofte, 4–6 on loft. [a. ON. á lopt of motion, á lopti of position (EE. o loft and o lofte), f. á, in, on, to + lopt, air, atmosphere, sky, heaven, upper floor, loft (Dan. lofts), cogn. w. Goth. luftus, OHG. luft, OE. lyft, air, etc. (In Eng. the distinction of motion and position, a loft and a lofte, was lost with the mutescence of final e.) Really equivalent to OE. on þá lyft, on þǽre lyfte, ME. on þe lufte, on þe lyft(e, ‘into, in the air,’ but while the latter never acquired the merely local sense of ‘on high, up,’ this became from the first the special sense of a loft. Some mixture of forms is probable in the expanded in the lofte, on the lofte, on lofte.]
† 1. In the atmosphere or space above the earth.
c. 1200. Moral Ode, 83. He makede fisses in þe se and fuȝeles in þe lifte [v.r. inne þe lofte, on þe lofte, in þe lufte].
† 2. In the visible sky, above the horizon, up, as a star. Obs.
c. 1340. Alex. & Dind., 122. And reed gan schine þat his lem on þe loft liȝht ȝaf aboute.
c. 1400. Epiph. (Turnb., 1843), 118. For this day aloft was the sterre.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb. (1586), 53 b. The moone being aloft and not sette.
† 3. fig. In the ascendant, ruling, prevailing, up. Obs.
c. 1400. Chaucer’s’ Test. Love, II. (1560), 291/1. Kindely heaven, when merie weather is a lofte, appeareth … in Blewe.
c. 1430. How the good Wyf, 74, in Babees Bk., 39. If þou be in place where good ale is on lofte.
1601. Holland, Pliny (1634), I. 24. The Sun raiseth … windes. At rising and setting hee causeth them to be aloft.
4. In heaven; ‘on high.’ arch. (cf. 12.)
c. 1386. Chaucer, Man of Lawes T., 179. My souerayn plesance, Ouer alle thyng (out taken crist on lofte).
1577. St. Augustine’s Man., 65. The day-spryng hath visited us from aloft.
1596. Chapman, Iliad, VII. 85. But conquest’s garlands hang aloft, amongst th’ immortal Gods.
1774. R. Lloyd, Hymn to Apollo. Aloft in heaven imperial Juno sat.
c. 1800. Dibdin. There’s a sweet little cherub that sits up aloft, To keep watch for the life of poor Jack.
5. gen. High above the earth, on high; at a great elevation relatively; high up.
c. 1200. Ormin, 11961. Wiþþuten o þe temmple … þær wass greȝȝþed sæte o lofft.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1183. For þe borȝ watȝ so bygge baytayled alofte.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., IV. 80. A sadder vyne a bigger stake olofte Mot holde.
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fables, 56. The Larke on loft with other birdes haill.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. ciii. 8. Then are the hilles sene alofte.
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 221. A feather … sette a loft in a woemans hatte.
1663. Butler, Hudibr., I. iii. 575. Thrice have they seen your Sword aloft Wav’d o’re their Heads.
1711. Pope, Temp. Fame, 483. Fame sits aloft, and points them out their course.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. § 8. 265. Vast masses of granite are thus poised aloft on icy pedestals.
† b. On horseback or in a vehicle; opposed afoot. Obs.
c. 1400. Ywaine & Gaw., 2532. Than sighed Ywain wonder oft, Unnethes might he syt oloft.
1654. Ussher, Annals, V. (1658), 43. Besides those which fought aloft from the Chariots.
† c. Extant, standing; not thrown down. Obs. rare.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, II. 349. To this souerayne Citie þat yet was olofte Iason aioynid.
† 6. Above geographically; higher up on the same plane. Obs. rare.
1805. Nelson, in Nicolas’s Disp., VI. 477. The Frigates are ordered from aloft [i.e., the upper part of the Mediterranean] to join you.
† 7. On the top, atop, on the surface. Obs.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 1088. So that the flamme upbende The celles forto chere and chaufe olofte.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., cxxviii. They cast and lay grauell aloft.
1587. Holinshed, Chron., I. 43/1. And aloft therevpon she had a thicke Irish mantell.
1667. H. More, Div. Dial., IV. xxxiv. (1713), 387. Where’s your Oil now … that floats aloft?
1718. Pope, Iliad, XXIV. 997. Forth to the pile was borne the man divine, And placed aloft.
8. fig. On high in rank, power, estimation, etc.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. Prol. 157. We myȝte be lordes aloft.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 5506. They saw hem set on loft, And weren of hem succoured oft.
1552–5. Latimer, Serm. & Rem. (1845), 51. Bilney … was induced to bear a fagot … when the cardinal was aloft and bore the swing.
1851. Hussey, Papal Power, i. 20. A high and mighty personage seated aloft somewhere.
† 9. In a lofty tone, loftily. Obs.
1613. Purchas, Pilgr., I. VI. xii. 531. Speake aloft and prowdley.
10. Of direction: Into the air, or from the ground; up, upward, on high.
c. 1200. Ormin, 11823. Crist þolede þe deofell To brinngenn himm heȝhe upp o lofft.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 274. Þe erles of Scotlond had reysed baner oloft.
c. 1430. Lydg., Thebes, 33, in Dom. Arch., III. 111. To a chamber she led him vp alofte.
c. 1588. Greene, Fr. Bacon, ii. A whirlwind … mounted me aloft unto the clouds.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 226. With expanded wings he stears his flight Aloft.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 207. Blow her aloft in the air.
1877. Lytteil, Landmarks, II. ii. 88. A steep bluff crag … towers aloft.
b. To heaven. arch. (cf. 12.)
1692. E. Walker, Epictetus Mor. (1737), Introd. His rich Soul aloft did soar.
c. 1800. Dibdin, Tom Bowling. For though his body’s under hatches, His soul is gone aloft.
11. fig. Up in rank, estimation, feeling, etc.
c. 1200. Ormin, 11849. Te laþe gast Aȝȝ eggeþ hise þeowwess, To draȝȝhenn hemm aȝȝ upp o lofft.
1300. E. E. Psalter lxxiv. 8. Þis mekes he ful ofte, And þis up-heves he o-lofte.
1567. Jewel, Def. Apol. (1611), 386. But afterward the Popes began to looke aloft.
1836. J. Gilbert, Chr. Atonem., ii. (1852), 41. The very principles which bore aloft your spirits.
12. Naut. On or to a higher part of a ship; as the mast, the mast head, the rigging generally, in reference to the deck; or the deck as opposed to below.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 169. Þe saile was hie o loft.
1509. Barclay, Ship of Fooles (1570), 251. Our sayles are a loft, Our ship flyes swiftly.
1629. Gaule, Holy Madn., 210. Come a loft Jack.
1762. Falconer, Shipwr., I. 697. Rous’d from repose, aloft the sailors swarm.
1813. Southey, Nelson, iii. 82. So cut up, that she could not get a topmast aloft during the night.
1836. Marryat, Midsh. Easy, xiii. 47. The men had come from aloft, and Jack was summoned on deck.
† B. prep. On the top or summit of; above, over.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XXXVIII. iii. Alofte the basse toure foure ymages stode.
1595. Shaks., John, IV. ii. 139. But now I breath againe Aloft the flood.
1600. Chapman, Iliad, XIX. 93. They bear her still aloft men’s heads.
1613. Campion, in Arber’s Garn., III. 279. Aloft the trees … Our silent harps we pensive hung.
