Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Raise?

\Raise\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Raised}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Raising}.] [OE. reisen, Icel. reisa, causative of r[=i]sa to rise. See {Rise}, and cf. {Rear} to raise.] 1. 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. --Clarendon. The plate pieces of eight were raised three pence in the piece. --Sir 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. 2. 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 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. --Job xiv. 12. (b) To rouse to action; to stir up; to incite to tumult, struggle, or war; to excite. He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind. --Ps. cvii. 25. [AE]neas . . . employs his pains, In parts remote, to raise the Tuscan swains. --Dryden. (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 ? --Acts xxvi. 8. 3. To cause to arise, grow up, or come into being or to appear; to give 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. --Isa. xxxix. 3. (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.'' --Chaucer. (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.'' --Johnson's Dict. Note: In some parts of the United States, notably in the Southern States, raise in 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. --Deut. xviii. 18. God vouchsafes to raise another world From him [Noah], and all his anger to forget. --Milton. (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. --Ex. xxiii. 1. (f) To give vent or utterance to; to utter; to strike up. Soon as the prince appears, they raise a cry. --Dryden. (g) To bring to notice; to submit for consideration; as, to raise a point of order; to raise an objection. 4. 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. --Spectator. 5. (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. 6. (Law) To create or constitute; as, to raise a use that is, to create it. --Burrill. {To raise a blockade} (Mil.), to remove or break up a blockade, either by withdrawing the ships or forces employed in enforcing it, or by driving them away or dispersing them. {To raise a check}, {note}, {bill of exchange}, etc., to increase fraudulently its nominal value by changing the writing, figures, or printing in which the sum payable is specified. {To raise a siege}, to relinquish an attempt to take a place by besieging it, or to cause the attempt to be relinquished. {To raise steam}, to produce steam of a required pressure. {To raise the wind}, to procure ready money by some temporary expedient. [Colloq.] {To raise Cain}, or {To raise the devil}, to cause a great disturbance; to make great trouble. [Slang] Syn: To lift; exalt; elevate; erect; originate; cause; produce; grow; heighten; aggravate; excite.