elevator
ele·va·tor [elevator elevators] [ˈelɪveɪtə(r)] [ˈelɪveɪtər] noun
1. (NAmE) (BrE lift) a machine that carries people or goods up and down to different levels in a building or a mine
• It's on the fifth floor, so we'd better take the elevator.
2. a place for storing large quantities of grain
3. a part in the tail of an aircraft that is moved to make it go up and down
See also: lift
Word Origin:
mid 17th cent. (denoting a muscle): modern Latin, from Latin elevare ‘raise’; in later use directly from elevate.
Example Bank:
• He rode the elevator to the 43rd floor.
• One guy fell down the elevator shaft.
• The agents in the station sent the checked baggage down stairs on a freight elevator.
• The elevator dinged and the door opened.
• The elevator doors closed behind her.
• We took a creaky old elevator up to the third floor.
• York pressed the button to call the elevator.
