Lift vs. Paternoster — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 16, 2024
A lift (elevator) is a compartment that moves vertically to transport people or goods between floors. A paternoster is a continuous loop of open compartments that move slowly between floors without stopping.
Difference Between Lift and Paternoster
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A lift, commonly known as an elevator, is a compartment or platform enclosed in a shaft, designed to transport people or goods vertically between different floors of a building. A paternoster, on the other hand, is a type of passenger elevator consisting of a continuous loop of open compartments that move slowly in a vertical loop, up one side and down the other.
Lifts are widely used in modern buildings and are designed with safety features such as emergency brakes, interlocking doors, and call buttons. Paternosters are less common and considered less safe by modern standards, primarily due to the risk involved in stepping on and off moving platforms.
Lifts provide convenience, accessibility, and safety, suitable for all types of buildings, including residential, commercial, and industrial. Paternosters, however, offer a unique and continuous transport method that is more of a historical curiosity and less suited for buildings with heavy traffic or individuals with mobility issues.
Comparison Chart
Operation
Stops at each floor
Continuous loop, no stops
Compartment Type
Enclosed with automatic doors
Open compartments
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Speed
Variable, often faster
Slow-moving for safe entry/exit
Common Usage
Modern buildings, all types
Older buildings, less common
Safety Features
Emergency brakes, interlocking doors
Limited, requires careful timing
Compare with Definitions
Lift
Operates using a pulley or hydraulic system.
The lift's motor hummed as it ascended.
Paternoster
Found in older, historical buildings.
The old library still has a functioning paternoster.
Lift
Stops at designated floors to pick up and drop off passengers.
The lift stopped at every floor during rush hour.
Paternoster
A continuous loop of open compartments for vertical transport.
The paternoster moves slowly in a never-ending loop.
Lift
Equipped with automatic doors for safety.
The lift doors opened smoothly.
Paternoster
Lacks modern safety features, considered less safe.
The paternoster has no doors, so caution is needed.
Lift
To direct or carry from a lower to a higher position; raise
Lift one's eyes.
Lifted the suitcase.
Paternoster
Often Paternoster The Lord's Prayer.
Lift
To transport by air
The helicopter lifted the entire team to the meet.
Paternoster
One of the large beads on a rosary on which the Lord's Prayer is said.
Lift
To revoke by taking back; rescind
Lifted the embargo.
Paternoster
A sequence of words spoken as a prayer or a magic formula.
Lift
To bring an end to (a blockade or siege) by removing forces.
Paternoster
A weighted fishing line having several jointed attachments for hooks connected by beadlike swivels.
Lift
To cease (artillery fire) in an area.
Paternoster
An elevator constructed of a series of doorless compartments hung on chains that move slowly and continuously, allowing passengers to step on and off at will.
Lift
To raise in condition, rank, or esteem
Work that lifted her in the eyes of her colleagues.
Paternoster
(Christianity) The Lord's Prayer, especially in a Roman Catholic context.
Lift
To uplift; elate
Your telephone call really lifted my spirits.
Paternoster
A slow, continuously moving lift or elevator consisting of a loop of open-fronted cabins running the height of a building.
Lift
To remove (plants) from the ground for transplanting.
Paternoster
(architecture) A bead-like ornament in mouldings.
Lift
To project or sound in loud, clear tones
Lifted their voices in song.
Paternoster
(fishing) A tackle rig with a heavy sinker at the end of the line, and one or more hooks on traces at right angles spaced above the sinker.
Lift
(Informal) To steal; pilfer
A thief lifted my wallet.
Paternoster
A string of beads used in counting prayers that are said; a rosary.
Lift
(Informal) To copy from something already published; plagiarize
Lifted whole paragraphs from the encyclopedia.
Paternoster
Every eleventh bead in a rosary, at which, while counting the beads, the Lord's Prayer is to be repeated.
Lift
To pay off or clear (a debt or mortgage, for example).
Paternoster
A medieval artisan who crafted rosary beads or prayer nuts.
Lift
To perform cosmetic surgery on (the face, for example), especially in order to remove wrinkles or sagging skin.
Paternoster
(archaic) A patent medicine, so named because salesmen would pray the Lord's Prayer over it before selling it.
Lift
(Sports) To hit (a golf ball) very high into the air.
Paternoster
To try to catch (fish, etc.) with a paternoster rig.
Lift
To pick up (a golf ball) to place it in a better lie.
Paternoster
The Lord's prayer, so called from the first two words of the Latin version.
Lift
To shoot or flip (a puck) so that it rises sharply off the ice.
Paternoster
A beadlike ornament in moldings.
Lift
To rise; ascend.
Paternoster
A line with a row of hooks and bead-shaped sinkers.
Lift
To yield to upward pressure
These windows lift easily.
Paternoster
An elevator of an inclined endless traveling chain or belt bearing buckets or shelves which ascend on one side loaded, and empty themselves at the top.
Lift
To disappear or disperse by or as if by rising
By afternoon the smog had lifted.
Paternoster
(Roman Catholic Church) the Lord's Prayer in Latin; translates as `our father'
Lift
To stop temporarily
The rain lifted by morning.
Paternoster
A type of lift having a chain of open compartments that move continually in a loop so that (agile) passengers can step on or off at each floor
Lift
To become elevated; soar
Their spirits lifted when help came.
Paternoster
Passengers step on and off while in motion.
Using a paternoster requires precise timing.
Lift
The act or process of rising or raising to a higher position.
Paternoster
Moves at a slow, constant speed.
The paternoster’s slow speed allows for safe boarding.
Lift
Power or force available for raising
The lift of a pump.
Lift
An organized effort or a flight transporting supplies or people by airplane; an airlift.
Lift
The extent or height to which something is raised or rises; the amount of elevation.
Lift
The distance or space through which something is raised or rises.
Lift
A rise or an elevation in the level of the ground.
Lift
An elevation of the spirits
The good news gave us a lift.
Lift
A raised, high, or erect position, as of a part of the body
The lift of his chin.
Lift
A machine or device designed to pick up, raise, or carry something.
Lift
One of the layers of leather, rubber, or other material making up the heel of a shoe.
Lift
Chiefly British A passenger or cargo elevator.
Lift
A ride in a vehicle given to help someone reach a destination
Gave my friend a lift into town.
Lift
Assistance or help
Gave her a lift with her heavy packages.
Lift
A set of pumps used in a mine.
Lift
The component of the total aerodynamic force acting on an airfoil or on an entire aircraft or winged missile perpendicular to the relative wind and normally exerted in an upward direction, opposing the pull of gravity.
Lift
(ambitransitive) To raise or rise.
The fog eventually lifted, leaving the streets clear.
You never lift a finger to help me!
Lift
To steal.
Lift
To source directly without acknowledgement; to plagiarise.
Lift
To arrest (a person).
Lift
(transitive) To remove (a ban, restriction, etc.).
Lift
(transitive) To alleviate, to lighten (pressure, tension, stress, etc.)
Lift
(transitive) to cause to move upwards.
Lift
To lift weights; to weight-lift.
She lifts twice a week at the gym.
Lift
To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing.
Lift
To elevate or improve in rank, condition, etc.; often with up.
Lift
(obsolete) To bear; to support.
Lift
To collect, as moneys due; to raise.
Lift
(programming) To transform (a function) into a corresponding function in a different context.
Lift
(finance) To buy a security or other asset previously offered for sale.
Lift
To take (hounds) off the existing scent and move them to another spot.
Lift
An act of lifting or raising.
Lift
The act of transporting someone in a vehicle; a ride; a trip.
He gave me a lift to the bus station.
Lift
Mechanical device for vertically transporting goods or people between floors in a building.
Take the lift to the fourth floor.
Lift
An upward force, such as the force that keeps aircraft aloft.
Lift
(measurement) The difference in elevation between the upper pool and lower pool of a waterway, separated by lock.
Lift
A thief.
Lift
(dance) The lifting of a dance partner into the air.
Lift
Permanent construction with a built-in platform that is lifted vertically.
Lift
(figurative) An improvement in mood.
Lift
The amount or weight to be lifted.
What's the maximum lift of this crane?
Lift
The space or distance through which anything is lifted.
Lift
A rise; a degree of elevation.
The lift of a lock in canals
Lift
A liftgate.
Lift
(nautical) A rope leading from the masthead to the extremity of a yard below, and used for raising or supporting the end of the yard.
Lift
(engineering) One of the steps of a cone pulley.
Lift
(shoemaking) A layer of leather in the heel of a shoe.
Lift
(horology) That portion of the vibration of a balance during which the impulse is given.
Lift
Air.
Lift
The sky; the heavens; firmament; atmosphere.
Lift
The sky; the atmosphere; the firmament.
Lift
Act of lifting; also, that which is lifted.
Lift
The space or distance through which anything is lifted; as, a long lift.
Lift
Help; assistance, as by lifting.
The goat gives the fox a lift.
Lift
That by means of which a person or thing lifts or is lifted
Lift
A rise; a degree of elevation; as, the lift of a lock in canals.
Lift
A lift gate. See Lift gate, below.
Lift
A rope leading from the masthead to the extremity of a yard below; - used for raising or supporting the end of the yard.
Lift
One of the steps of a cone pulley.
Lift
A layer of leather in the heel.
Lift
That portion of the vibration of a balance during which the impulse is given.
Lift
A brightening of the spirits; encouragement; as, the campaign workers got a lift from the President's endorsement.
Lift
To move in a direction opposite to that of gravitation; to raise; to elevate; to bring up from a lower place to a higher; to upheave; sometimes implying a continued support or holding in the higher place; - said of material things; as, to lift the foot or the hand; to lift a chair or a burden.
Lift
To raise, elevate, exalt, improve, in rank, condition, estimation, character, etc.; - often with up.
The Roman virtues lift up mortal man.
Lest, being lifted up with pride.
Lift
To bear; to support.
Lift
To collect, as moneys due; to raise.
Lift
To steal; to carry off by theft (esp. cattle); as, to lift a drove of cattle.
He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered.
Lift
To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing.
Strained by lifting at a weight too heavy.
Lift
To rise; to become or appear raised or elevated; as, the fog lifts; the land lifts to a ship approaching it.
Lift
To steal; also, to live by theft.
Lift
The act of giving temporary assistance
Lift
The component of the aerodynamic forces acting on an airfoil that opposes gravity
Lift
The event of something being raised upward;
An elevation of the temperature in the afternoon
A raising of the land resulting from volcanic activity
Lift
A wave that lifts the surface of the water or ground
Lift
A powered conveyance that carries skiers up a hill
Lift
A device worn in a shoe or boot to make the wearer look taller or to correct a shortened leg
Lift
One of the layers forming the heel of a shoe or boot
Lift
Lifting device consisting of a platform or cage that is raised and lowered mechanically in a vertical shaft in order to move people from one floor to another in a building
Lift
Plastic surgery to remove wrinkles and other signs of aging from your face; an incision is made near the hair line and skin is pulled back and excess tissue is excised;
Some actresses have more than one face lift
Lift
Transportation of people or goods by air (especially when other means of access are unavailable)
Lift
A ride in a car;
He gave me a lift home
Lift
The act of raising something;
He responded with a lift of his eyebrow
Fireman learn several different raises for getting ladders up
Lift
Raise from a lower to a higher position;
Raise your hands
Lift a load
Lift
Take hold of something and move it to a different location;
Lift the box onto the table
Lift
Move upwards;
Lift one's eyes
Lift
Move upward;
The fog lifted
The smoke arose from the forest fire
The mist uprose from the meadows
Lift
Make audible;
He lifted a war whoop
Lift
Annul by recalling or rescinding;
He revoked the ban on smoking
Lift an embargo
Vacate a death sentence
Lift
Make off with belongings of others
Lift
Raise or haul up with or as if with mechanical help;
Hoist the bicycle onto the roof of the car
Lift
Invigorate or heighten;
Lift my spirits
Lift his ego
Lift
Raise in rank or condition;
The new law lifted many people from poverty
Lift
Take off or away by decreasing;
Lift the pressure
Lift
Rise up;
The building rose before them
Lift
Pay off (a mortgage)
Lift
Take without referencing from someone else's writing or speech; of intellectual property
Lift
Take illegally;
Rustle cattle
Lift
Fly people or goods to or from places not accessible by other means;
Food is airlifted into Bosnia
Lift
Take (root crops) out of the ground;
Lift potatoes
Lift
Call to stop the hunt or to retire, as of hunting dogs
Lift
Rise upward, as from pressure or moisture;
The floor is lifting slowly
Lift
Put an end to;
Lift a ban
Raise a siege
Lift
Remove (hair) by scalping
Lift
Remove from a seedbed or from a nursery;
Lift the tulip bulbs
Lift
Remove from a surface;
The detective carefully lifted some fingerprints from the table
Lift
Perform cosmetic surgery on someone's face
Lift
A platform or compartment enclosed in a shaft for vertical transportation.
She took the lift to the 10th floor.
Lift
Common in both residential and commercial buildings.
The office building has six lifts for convenience.
Common Curiosities
What is a lift?
A lift, or elevator, is a compartment that moves vertically between floors in a building.
What is a paternoster?
A paternoster is a continuous loop of open compartments that move vertically without stopping.
How does a lift operate?
A lift operates using a pulley system or hydraulic mechanism and stops at each floor.
How does a paternoster operate?
A paternoster operates in a continuous loop, and passengers step on and off while it moves.
Are lifts safe?
Yes, lifts are equipped with safety features like emergency brakes and interlocking doors.
Are paternosters safe?
Paternosters are considered less safe due to the need to board and alight while in motion.
Where are paternosters commonly found?
Paternosters are mostly found in older, historical buildings.
Do lifts have doors?
Yes, lifts have automatic doors that open and close at each floor.
What makes paternosters unique?
Paternosters are unique due to their continuous, non-stopping movement and historical significance.
Do paternosters have doors?
No, paternosters have open compartments without doors.
Can paternosters transport heavy goods?
No, paternosters are not designed for heavy goods, only for passengers.
Where are lifts commonly used?
Lifts are used in modern residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.
How fast do lifts move?
Lifts can vary in speed, often moving faster than paternosters.
How fast do paternosters move?
Paternosters move slowly to allow safe boarding and alighting.
Can lifts transport heavy goods?
Yes, lifts can transport heavy goods and large numbers of passengers.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
