loft

loft [lôft, läft]

n.

[ME lofte < Late OE loft < ON lopt, upper room, air, sky (akin to OE lyft, air, sky) < IE base * leup-, *leubh-, to peel off > LEAF]

1.

a) an attic or atticlike space, usually not partitioned off into rooms, immediately below the roof of a house, barn, etc.

☆ b) any of the upper stories of a warehouse or factory; now often, specif., a dwelling space, artist's studio, etc. on an upper story of a converted warehouse or factory

2. a gallery [the choir loft in a church]

3.

a) the slope given to the face of a golf club to aid in knocking the ball in a high curve

b) the height attained by hitting or throwing a ball in a high curve

vt.

1. to store in a loft

2.

a) to hit or throw (a golf ball, baseball, etc.) into the air in a high curve

b) to throw (a bowling ball) so that it strikes the alley sharply some distance past the foul line

vi.

to loft a ball

lofter

n.