raise

[ reyz ]

verb (used with object)

, raised, rais·ing.

1. to move to a higher position; lift up; elevate:

   to raise one's hand; sleepy birds raising their heads and looking about.

   Synonyms: lift

   Antonyms: lower

2. to set upright:

   When the projection screen toppled, he quickly raised it again.

   Synonyms: lift

3. to cause to rise or stand up; rouse:

   The sound of the bugle raised him from his bed.

   Synonyms: awaken, arouse

4. to build; erect:

   to raise a monument.

   Synonyms: rear, construct

5. to set up the framework of:

   to raise a house.

6. to set in motion; activate:

   to raise a storm of protest.

7. to grow or breed, care for, or promote the growth of:

   to raise corn; to raise prizewinning terriers.

   Synonyms: cultivate

8. to serve in the capacity of parent to; rear:

   to raise children.

9. to give rise to; bring up or about:

   His comments raised a ripple of applause.

   Synonyms: effect, produce, originate

10. to put forward; present for public consideration:

    He raised the issue of his opponent's eligibility.

11. Law. to make (an issue at law).
12. to restore to life:

    to raise the dead.

13. to stir up:

    to raise a rebellion with stirring speeches.

    Synonyms: excite

14. to give vigor to; animate:

    The news raised his spirits.

    Synonyms: inspirit, invigorate

15. to advance in rank or position:

    to raise someone to the peerage.

    Synonyms: exalt, promote, elevate

16. to assemble or collect:

    to raise an army; to raise money for a charity.

17. to increase the height or vertical measurement of:

    The blocks raise the table three inches.

    Synonyms: enlarge, heighten

18. to increase in degree, intensity, pitch, or force:

    to raise the volume of a radio.

    Synonyms: augment, amplify

19. to utter (a cry, shout, etc.) in a loud voice.
20. to cause (the voice) to be heard:

    to raise one's voice in opposition.

21. to cause (dough or bread) to rise by expansion and become light, as by the use of yeast.
22. to increase in amount:

    to raise rents; to raise salaries.

23. to increase (the value or price) of a commodity, stock, bond, etc.
24. Poker.
    1. to increase (another player's bet).
    2. to bet at a higher level than (a preceding bettor).
25. Bridge. to increase (the bid for a contract) by repeating one's partner's bid at a higher level.
26. Phonetics. to alter the articulation of (a vowel) by bringing the tongue closer to the palate:

    The vowel in “pen” is raised to (i) in some dialects.

27. to increase the amount specified in (a check, money order, or the like) by fraudulent alteration.
28. Military. to end (a siege) by withdrawing the besieging forces or by compelling the besieging forces to withdraw.
29. Nautical.
    1. to cause (something) to rise above the visible horizon by approaching it.
    2. to come in sight of (land, a whale, etc.).
30. to establish communication with by radio:

    The radioman was able to raise shore headquarters after three tries.

31. Mining. to excavate (an opening) upward from a level below.

verb (used without object)

, raised, rais·ing.

1. to be able to be lifted or pulled up:

   The window raises easily.

2. (in cards, poker, etc.) to increase a previous bet or bid:

   My cards weren't good enough to let me raise.

noun

1. an increase in amount, as of wages:

   a raise in pay.

2. the amount of such an increase:

   His raise was five dollars.

3. a raising, lifting, etc.:

   a raise in spirits.

4. a raised or ascending place; rise.
5. Mining. a shaft excavated upward from below. Compare winze ¹.

raise

/ reɪz /

verb

1. to move, cause to move, or elevate to a higher position or level; lift
2. to set or place in an upright position
3. to construct, build, or erect

   to raise a barn

4. to increase in amount, size, value, etc

   to raise prices

5. to increase in degree, strength, intensity, etc

   to raise one's voice

6. to advance in rank or status; promote
7. to arouse or awaken from or as if from sleep or death
8. to stir up or incite; activate

   to raise a mutiny

9. raise Cain or raise the devil or raise hell or raise the roof
   1. to create a boisterous disturbance
   2. to react or protest heatedly
10. to give rise to; cause or provoke

    to raise a smile

11. to put forward for consideration

    to raise a question

12. to cause to assemble or gather together; collect

    to raise an army

13. to grow or cause to grow

    to raise a crop

14. to bring up; rear

    to raise a family

15. to cause to be heard or known; utter or express

    to raise a protest

    to raise a shout

16. to bring to an end; remove

    raise a ban

    to raise a siege

17. to cause (dough, bread, etc) to rise, as by the addition of yeast
18. poker to bet more than (the previous player)
19. bridge to bid (one's partner's suit) at a higher level
20. nautical to cause (something) to seem to rise above the horizon by approaching

    we raised land after 20 days

21. to establish radio communications with

    we managed to raise Moscow last night

22. to obtain (money, funds, capital, etc)
23. to bring (a surface, a design, etc) into relief; cause to project
24. to cause (a blister, welt, etc) to form on the skin
25. phonetics to modify the articulation of (a vowel) by bringing the tongue closer to the roof of the mouth
26. maths to multiply (a number) by itself a specified number of times

    8 is 2 raised to the power 3

27. 1. to institute (a suit or action at law)
    2. to draw up (a summons)
28. to increase the amount payable on (a cheque, money order, etc) fraudulently
29. curling to push (a stone) towards the tee with another stone
30. raise an eyebrow
    1. Alsoraise one's eyebrows to look quizzical or surprised
    2. to give rise to doubt or disapproval
31. raise one's glass to
    to drink the health of; drink a toast to
32. raise one's hat old-fashioned.
    to take one's hat briefly off one's head as a greeting or mark of respect

noun

1. the act or an instance of raising
2. an increase, esp in salary, wages, etc; rise

Confusables Note

Raise and rise are similar in form and meaning but different in grammatical use. Raise is the causative of rise; to raise something is to cause it to rise. Raise is almost always used transitively. Its forms are regular: Raise the window. The flag had been raised before we arrived. Raise in the intransitive sense “to rise up, arise” is nonstandard: Dough raises better when the temperature is warm. Rise is almost exclusively intransitive in its standard uses. Its forms are irregular: My husband usually rises before seven. The earliest I have ever risen is eight. The sun rose in a cloudless sky. The dough is rising now. Both raise and rear are used in the United States to refer to the upbringing of children. Although raise was formerly condemned in this sense (“You raise hogs but you rear children”), it is now standard. In American English, a person receives a raise in salary. In British English it is a rise.

Derived Forms

• ˈraiser, noun
• ˈraisable, adjective

Other Words From

• raisa·ble raisea·ble adjective
• raiser noun
• non·raisa·ble adjective
• non·raisea·ble adjective
• re·raise verb (used with object) reraised reraising
• un·raisa·ble adjective
• un·raisea·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of raise¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English reisen (verb), from Scandinavian (compare Old Norse reisa ); compare also Gothic -raisjan (causative verb formed on Germanic base of Old English rīsan “to rise” ( rise ), Old English rǣran “to rear up” ( rear ² )

Word History and Origins

Origin of raise¹

C12: from Old Norse reisa ; related to Old English rǣran to rear ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. raise Cain. Cain ¹( def 3 ).

More idioms and phrases containing raise

• cause raised eyebrows
• curtain raiser
• make (raise) a stink
• play (raise) havoc

Synonym Study

Raise, lift, heave, hoist imply bringing something up above its original position. Raise, the most general word, may mean to bring something to or toward an upright position with one end resting on the ground; or it may be used in the sense of lift, moving an object a comparatively short distance upward but breaking completely its physical contact with the place where it had been: to raise a ladder; to raise ( lift ) a package. Heave implies lifting with effort or exertion: to heave a huge box onto a truck. Hoist implies lifting slowly and gradually something of considerable weight, usually with mechanical help, such as given by a crane or derrick: to hoist steel beams to the top of the framework of a building.

Example Sentences

Researchers have been raising alarms about health data privacy for years.

From Los Angeles Times

But it parallels issues that the court appointed auditors have raised.

From Los Angeles Times

Already, several companies, such as Stanley Black & Decker and AutoZone, noted on earnings calls they would raise prices if faced with tariffs.

From Salon

Following the general election in July, the Labour government made a number of appointments which raised eyebrows.

From BBC

When the Farm Bill extension expired on Sept. 30, leaders from hunger and food justice organizations nationwide raised alarms about the further delays in federal action that the lapse would likely exacerbate.

From Salon

Related Words

• boost
• collect
• enhance
• get
• heighten
• jump
• obtain
• promote
• reinforce
• strengthen