verb
hoist
hoyst
verb
1
To raise or lift something up, often using ropes, pulleys, or machinery.
"The crew hoisted the sail as soon as the wind picked up."
"Workers hoisted the crates onto the back of the truck with a pulley."
2
Informal: to steal.
"He was caught trying to hoist a bike from outside the shop."
noun
1
A device used for lifting heavy loads.
"The mechanic used a hoist to lift the car off the ground."
How to Use Hoist
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo lift something up, often something heavy, usually with equipment rather than bare hands.
Common mistake
People sometimes write "hoisted by his own petard" — meaning someone undone by their own scheme — a Shakespearean phrase still used today.
Common pairings
hoist a flag
hoist the sail
hoist yourself up
Word Forms
hoisted past tense, hoist past tense, hoists plural, hoists singular
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The crew _____ the sail as soon as the wind picked up.
Etymology
An alteration of the older word "hoise," itself from Middle Dutch hisen ("to hoist") — related to modern Dutch hijsen and German hissen.