Etymology : Middle English, from Old Norse reisa; more at REAR
Pronunciation : rAz
Function : verb
Date : 13th century
1. increase in salary, wage increase. elevate, lift; excite, arouse; cause, bring about; grow, cultivate. raise\raise\ (rāz), v. t. [imp. & p. p. raised (rāzd); p. pr. & vb. n. raising.] [oe. reisen, icel. reisa, causative of rīsa to rise. see:
rise, and cf. rear to raise.].
2. to cause to rise; to bring from a lower to a higher place; to lift upward; to elevate; to heave; as, to raise a stone or weight. hence, figuratively: (a) to bring to a higher condition or situation; to elevate in rank, dignity, and the like; to increase the value or estimation of; to promote; to exalt; to advance; to enhance; as, to raise from a low estate; to raise to office; to raise the price, and the like. this gentleman came to be raised to great titles. the plate pieces of eight were raised three pence in the piece. w. temple. (b) to increase the strength, vigor, or vehemence of; to excite; to intensify; to invigorate; to heighten; as, to raise the pulse; to raise the voice; to raise the spirits or the courage; to raise the heat of a furnace. (c) to elevate in degree according to some scale; as, to raise the pitch of the voice; to raise the temperature of a room.
3. to cause to rise up, or assume an erect position or posture; to set up; to make upright; as, to raise a mast or flagstaff. hence: (a) to cause to spring up from a recumbent position, from a state of quiet, or the like; to awaken; to arouse. they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. xiv.
4. (b) to rouse to action; to stir up; to incite to tumult, struggle, or war; to excite. he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind. cvii.
5. ?neas employs his pains, in parts remote, to raise the tuscan swains. (c) to bring up from the lower world; to call up, as a spirit from the world of spirits; to recall from death; to give life to. why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that god should raise the dead ?.
6. 3. to cause to arise, grow up, or come into being or to appear; to give rise to; to originate, produce, cause, effect, or the like. hence, specifically: (a) to form by the accumulation of materials or constituent parts; to build up; to erect; as, to raise a lofty structure, a wall, a heap of stones. i will raise forts against thee. xxix.
7. (b) to bring together; to collect; to levy; to get together or obtain for use or service; as, to raise money, troops, and the like. "to raise up a rent." (c) to cause to grow; to procure to be produced, bred, or propagated; to grow; as, to raise corn, barley, hops, etc.; toraise cattle. "he raised sheep." "he raised wheat where none grew before." 's dict.note: in some parts of the united states, notably in the southern states, raise is also commonly applied to the rearing or bringing up of children. i was raised, as they say in virginia, among the mountains of the north. --paulding. (d) to bring into being; to produce; to cause to arise, come forth, or appear; -- often with up. i will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee. xviii.
8. god vouchsafes to raise another world from him [noah], and all his anger to forget. (e) to give rise to; to set agoing; to occasion; to start; to originate; as, to raise a smile or a blush. thou shalt not raise a false report. xxiii.
9. (f) to give vent or utterance to; to utter; to strike up. soon as the prince appears, they raise a cry. (g) to bring to notice; to submit for consideration; as, to raise a point of order; to raise an objection.
10. to cause to rise, as by the effect of leaven; to make light and spongy, as bread. miss liddy can dance a jig, and raise paste.
11. (naut.) (a) to cause (the land or any other object) to seem higher by drawing nearer to it; as, to raise sandy hook light. (b) to let go; as in the command, raise tacks and sheets, i. e., let go tacks and sheets.
12. (law) to create or constitute; as, to raise a use, that is, to create it.
13. To cause to rise; to bring from a lower to a higher place; to lift upward; to elevate; to heave; as, to raise a stone or weight.
14. To bring to a higher condition or situation; to elevate in rank, dignity, and the like; to increase the value or estimation of; to promote; to exalt; to advance; to enhance; as, to raise from a low estate; to raise to office; to raise the price, and the like.
15. To increase the strength, vigor, or vehemence of; to excite; to intensify; to invigorate; to heighten; as, to raise the pulse; to raise the voice; to raise the spirits or the courage; to raise the heat of a furnace.
16. To elevate in degree according to some scale; as, to raise the pitch of the voice; to raise the temperature of a room.
17. To cause to rise up, or assume an erect position or posture; to set up; to make upright; as, to raise a mast or flagstaff.
18. To cause to spring up from a recumbent position, from a state of quiet, or the like; to awaken; to arouse.
19. To rouse to action; to stir up; to incite to tumult, struggle, or war; to excite.
20. To bring up from the lower world; to call up, as a spirit from the world of spirits; to recall from death; to give life to.
21. To cause to arise, grow up, or come into being or to appear; to give rise to; to originate, produce, cause, effect, or the like.
22. To form by the accumulation of materials or constituent parts; to build up; to erect; as, to raise a lofty structure, a wall, a heap of stones.
23. To bring together; to collect; to levy; to get together or obtain for use or service; as, to raise money, troops, and the like.
24. To cause to grow; to procure to be produced, bred, or propagated; to grow; as, to raise corn, barley, hops, etc.; toraise cattle.
25. To bring into being; to produce; to cause to arise, come forth, or appear; often with up. increasing the size of a bet ; "I'll see:
your raise and double it" the amount a salary is increased; "he got a 3% raise"; "he got a wage hike" raise the level or amount of something; "raise my salary"; "raise the price of bread" invigorate or heighten; "lift my spirits"; "lift his ego" bring into relief and cause to project; "raised edges" multiply by itself a specified number of times: 8 is 2 raised to the power 3 establish radio communications with; "They managed to raise Hanoi last night" activate or stir up; "raise a mutiny" cause to be heard or known; express or utter; "raise a shout"; "raise a protest"; "raise a sad cry" pronounce by bringing the tongue closer to the roof of the mouth; "raise your `o'" put forward for consideration or discussion; "raise the question of promotions"; "bring up an unpleasant topic" bet more than the previous player in bridge: bid at a higher level evoke or call forth, with or as if by magic; "raise the specter of unemployment"; "he conjured wild birds in the air"; "stir a disturbance"; "call down the spirits from the mountain" construct, build, or erect; "Raise a barn" create a disturbance, especially by making a great noise; "raise hell"; "raise the roof"; "raise Cain" raise from a lower to a higher position; "Raise your hands"; "Lift a load" cause to puff up with a leaven; "unleavened bread" collect funds for a specific purpose; "The President raised several million dollars for his college".
26. 1. If you raise something, you move it so that it is in a higher position. He raised his hand to wave Milton raised the glass to his lips. a small raised platform.
27. If you raise a flag, you display it by moving it up a pole or into a high place where it can be seen. They had raised the white flag in surrender.
28. If you raise yourself, you lift your body so that you are standing up straight, or so that you are no longer lying flat. He raised himself into a sitting position = lift.
29. If you raise the rate or level of something, you increase it. The Republic of Ireland is expected to raise interest rates a raised body temperature. = increase.
30. To raise the standard of something means to improve it. a new drive to raise standards of literacy in Britain's schools. = improve.
31. If you raise your voice, you speak more loudly, usually because you are angry. Don't you raise your voice to me, Henry Rollins!.
32. A raise is an increase in your wages or salary. Within two months Kelly got a raise.
33. If you raise money for a charity or an institution, you ask people for money which you collect on its behalf. events held to raise money for Help the Aged.
34. If a person or company raises money that they need, they manage to get it, for example by selling their property or by borrowing. They raised the money to buy the house and two hundred acres of grounds.
35. If an event raises a particular emotion or question, it makes people feel the emotion or consider the question. The agreement has raised hopes that the war may end soon The accident again raises questions about the safety of the plant.
36. If you raise a subject, an objection, or a question, you mention it or bring it to someone's attention. He had been consulted and had raised no objections.
37. Someone who raises a child looks after it until it is grown up. My mother was an amazing woman. She raised four of us kids virtually singlehandedly. = bring up.
38. If someone raises a particular type of animal or crop, they breed that type of animal or grow that type of crop. He raises 2,000 acres of wheat and hay.
39. to raise the alarm: see:
alarm to raise your eyebrows: see eyebrow to raise a finger: see finger to raise hell: see hell to raise a laugh: see laugh to raise the roof: see roof. an increase in the money you earn British Equivalent: rise.