we have liftoff

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the announcement made by launch commentators — historically Mission Control or the launch director — at the moment a rocket leaves the launch pad and begins its ascent, confirming that the vehicle has successfully cleared the pad and is climbing under its own power; in figurative use the phrase announces the successful beginning of any long-anticipated project, initiative, or undertaking whose launch has been carefully prepared and eagerly awaited; it carries connotations of collective effort finally bearing fruit, of months or years of preparation resolving into a single triumphant moment of initiation; used in business, politics, sports, and entertainment to mark the beginning of campaigns, product launches, seasons, and ventures with a sense of shared excitement and hard-won achievement