what the heck is lift?

The hardest thing about teaching someone about lift and drag in trying
to unlearn them the misconceptions they have already learned. The Nasa.
Gov web pages are a poster boy for this misconception. They define lift
and drag and thrust with narrow-minded characterizations that do not
differentiate one from the other. Example lift is THE force that
supports the aircraft in flight. Drag opposes the forward motion of an
aircraft thru the air. Thrust causes the forward motion of the
aircraft. They exclusively refer to drag as resistance force when the
major use of lift in aeronautics is to resist gravity. How stupid do
they think people are?

I am a member in model airplane club whose members are made up mostly
by retired pilots (commercial and private). I make it a point to ask
any pilot I meet what is the difference between lift and drag and I
have never Got a correct answer except for I don't know.

I hate it when some one says it's just a matter of semantics. Words
are useless without meaning and the words that have simple and accurate
definitions are the most useful. Glider pilots look for lift when they
fly their craft. But the upward aerodynamic force they are looking for
to accelerate their craft upward as a result of this lift is called
drag.
I like to discuss aerodynamics with people of authority. Please do not
think I am picking on you because I think you are one of the smarter
people in this group. I find it hard to argue with you because I agree
with so much of what you say. I sound like I am on a soap box don't
I?