airlift

[ air-lift ]
/ ˈɛərˌlɪft /

noun Also air lift.

a system for transporting persons or cargo by aircraft, especially in an emergency.
the persons or cargo so transported.
the act or process of transporting such a load.
a pump for raising liquids by the pressure of air forced into the pump chamber.

verb (used with object)

to transport (persons or cargo) by airlift.

adjective

of or relating to an airlift or airlifts: to increase the army's airlift capacity.

Origin of airlift

First recorded in 1940–45; air1 + lift

Example sentences from the Web for airlift

British Dictionary definitions for airlift

airlift
/ (ˈɛəˌlɪft) /

noun

the transportation by air of passengers, troops, cargo, etc, esp when other routes are blocked

verb

(tr) to transport by an airlift