raise: Meaning and Definition of

raise

Pronunciation: (rāz), [key]
— v., n. raised, rais•ing,
—v.t.
  1. to move to a higher position; lift up; elevate: to raise one's hand; sleepy birds raising their heads and looking about.
  2. to set upright: When the projection screen toppled, he quickly raised it again.
  3. to cause to rise or stand up; rouse: The sound of the bugle raised him from his bed.
  4. to build; erect: to raise a monument.
  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.
  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.
  10. to put forward; present for public consideration: He raised the issue of his opponent's eligibility.
  11. 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.
  14. to give vigor to; animate: The news raised his spirits.
  15. to advance in rank or position: to raise someone to the peerage.
  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.
  18. to increase in degree, intensity, pitch, or force: to raise the volume of a radio.
  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.
    1. to increase (another player's bet).
    2. to bet at a higher level than (a preceding bettor).
  24. to increase (the bid for a contract) by repeating one's partner's bid at a higher level.
  25. to alter the articulation of (a vowel) by bringing the tongue closer to the palate:(i) in some dialects. The vowel in “pen” is raised to
  26. to increase the amount specified in (a check, money order, or the like) by fraudulent alteration.
  27. to end (a siege) by withdrawing the besieging forces or by compelling the besieging forces to withdraw.
    1. to cause (something) to rise above the visible horizon by approaching it.
    2. to come in sight of (land, a whale, etc.).
  28. to establish communication with by radio: The radioman was able to raise shore headquarters after three tries.
  29. to excavate (an opening) upward from a level below.
—v.i.
  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.
  3. See(def. 3).
—n.
  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. a shaft excavated upward from below. Cf..
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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