hoist

1 of 2

verb

ˈhȯist 

chiefly dialectal

ˈhīst 

hoisted; hoisting; hoists

transitive verb

1

: lift, raise

especially : to raise into position by or as if by means of tackle

hoist a flag

hoist the sails

Cargo was hoisted up into the ship.

2

: drink sense 1

hoist a few beers

intransitive verb

: to become hoisted : rise

let it hoist to the upper deck

hoister noun

hoist

2 of 2

noun

1

: an act of raising or lifting : an act of hoisting (see hoist entry 1)

gave him a hoist over the wall

2

: an apparatus (such as a tackle or a hydraulic lift) for lifting or raising : an apparatus for hoisting (see hoist entry 1)

3

: the height of a flag when viewed flying

a flag with a 20-foot hoist

Synonyms

Verb

• boost
• heave
• heft
• jack (up)
• upheave

Choose the Right Synonym for hoist

lift, raise, rear, elevate, hoist, heave, boost mean to move from a lower to a higher place or position.

lift usually implies exerting effort to overcome resistance of weight.

lift the chair while I vacuum

raise carries a stronger implication of bringing up to the vertical or to a high position.

scouts raising a flagpole

rear may add an element of suddenness to raise.

suddenly reared itself up on its hind legs

elevate may replace lift or raise especially when exalting or enhancing is implied.

elevated the taste of the public

hoist implies lifting something heavy especially by mechanical means.

hoisted the cargo on board

heave implies lifting and throwing with great effort or strain.

heaved the heavy crate inside

boost suggests assisting to climb or advance by a push.

boosted his brother over the fence

Examples of hoist in a Sentence

Verb

The steel girders were hoisted into place and securely welded.

The engine was hoisted out with a winch.

The cargo was hoisted up onto the ship.

He stopped at a bar after work to hoist a few beers with his friends.

She hoisted a last-second shot that would have won the game if it had gone in.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Pigs were simply hoisted up and their throats cut, and after some point were assumed to be dead enough to dump into boiling water so that the sharp bristles on their skin could be scraped away. —Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy Gabra Zackman Emma Kehlbeck Lance Neal, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024

The Chesapeake 1000 can hoist up to 1,000 tons, but officials said the large piece ended up being lighter than expected because the roadbed broke free of the bridge and remained on the floor of the Patapsco. —Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2024

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra hoists the we-love-a-challenge flag in embracing this trip. —Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2024

Construction crews on Wednesday hoisted a final steel beam to top off the tower at just over 681 feet. —Detroit Free Press, 11 Apr. 2024

Céline Dion: June 16, 2014 Wearing nothing but a Lanvin dress and a harness, Dion was hoisted to the top of Caesars Palace’s 18-ft. replica of Michelangelo’s David in Las Vegas for this shot by Martin Schoeller. —Samantha Miller, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024

On Thursday, a section of 13th Street was blocked off so the ADU could be hoisted by crane and eased onto a slab foundation in the backyard. —David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024

Six corrections officers hoisted him onto the execution bed, where more straps were applied to Creech’s legs, arms and chest. —Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2024

Admittedly, the mere thought of one bed being hoisted over another could conjure visions of juvenile slumber parties and sweaty summers spent at sleepaway camp. —Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024

Noun

These are all scenarios hoist operators must train for. —Ana Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2023

Shute hoists Albert up to Elsa’s eye level and holds him there. —Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 15 Feb. 2024

Not enough 3s to Vogel's likening Phoenix coach Frank Vogel talked after the game about how Orlando’s defense stayed home on the pick-and-roll, which factored into only generating 14 hoists from 3. —Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 28 Jan. 2024

Waitresses hoist magnums of Dom Pérignon, cutting a path through VIPs in the pit. —Jay Cheshes, Robb Report, 9 Dec. 2023

The department added that the rescue was made possible after the 18-wheeler truck was secured with a grip hoist and other equipment to prevent the vehicle from further rolling. —David Chiu, Peoplemag, 28 Dec. 2023

Members envisioned a state-of-the-art facility with 170 boat slips, a guest dock, a small boat hoist and a dry land storage facility for boats. —Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2023

Steelers offensive lineman James Daniels, right, hoists running back Jaylen Warren in the air while celebrating Warren’s second-half touchdown. —Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2023

This hoist is compact, sets up easily, and will hang the heaviest buck with the press of a button. —The Editors, Field & Stream, 1 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

alteration of hoise

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hoist

• hoist by one's own petard
• hoist with one's own petard

Kids Definition

hoist

1 of 2 verb

ˈhȯist 

: to raise or become raised into position especially by mechanical means

hoister noun

hoist

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act of hoisting : lift

2

: a machine for hoisting heavy loads