to move or raise to a higher place or position; lift up.
2.
to raise to a higher state, rank, or office; exalt; promote: to elevate an archbishop to cardinal.
3.
to raise to a higher intellectual or spiritual level: Good poetry may elevate the mind.
4.
to raise the spirits; put in high spirits.
5.
to raise (the voice) in pitch or volume.
–adjective
6.
Archaic. raised; elevated.
[Origin: 1490–1500; < L élevātus lightened, lifted up (ptp. of élevāre), equiv. to é-e-+ lev- light + -ātus-ate1]
—Synonyms 1. lift, hoist. 2. advance, upgrade, dignify. Elevate,enhance,exalt,heighten mean to raise or make higher in some respect. To elevate is to raise something up to a higher level, position, or state: to elevate the living standards of a group. To enhance is to add to the attractions or desirability of something: Landscaping enhances the beauty of the grounds. To exalt is to raise very high in rank, character, estimation, mood, etc.: A king is exalted above his subjects. To heighten is to increase the strength or intensity: to heighten one's powers of concentration.
1497, from L. elevatus, pp. of elevare "lift up, raise," from ex- "out" + levare "lighten, raise," from levis "light" in weight (see lever). Elevator in the mechanical sense is from 1825, originally for grain. Elevator music is from 1970s. El, Amer.Eng. abbrev. of "elevated railroad" is first recorded 1906 in O. Henry. Elevator shoes patented 1940.
give a promotion to or assign to a higher position; "John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired"; "Women tend not to advance in the major law firms"; "I got promoted after many years of hard work" [syn: promote] [ant: break]
2.
raise from a lower to a higher position; "Raise your hands"; "Lift a load" [syn: raise] [ant: bring down]
3.
raise in rank or condition; "The new law lifted many people from poverty" [syn: lift]
El"e*vate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Elevated; p. pr. & vb. n. Elevating.] [L. elevatus, p. p. of elevare; e + levare to lift up, raise, akin to levis light in weight. See Levity.]1. To bring from a lower place to a higher; to lift up; to raise; as, to elevate a weight, a flagstaff, etc. 2. To raise to a higher station; to promote; as, to elevate to an office, or to a high social position. 3. To raise from a depressed state; to animate; to cheer; as, to elevate the spirits. 4. To exalt; to ennoble; to dignify; as, to elevate the mind or character. 5. To raise to a higher pitch, or to a greater degree of loudness; -- said of sounds; as, to elevate the voice. 6. To intoxicate in a slight degree; to render tipsy. [Colloq. & Sportive] "The elevated cavaliers sent for two tubs of merry stingo." --Sir W. Scott. 7. To lessen; to detract from; to disparage. [A Latin meaning] [Obs.] --Jer. Taylor. To elevate a piece (Gun.), to raise the muzzle; to lower the breech. Syn: To exalt; dignify; ennoble; erect; raise; hoist; heighten; elate; cheer; flush; excite; animate.
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Audio Help [v. el-uh-veyt; adj. el-uh-veyt, -vit] Pronunciation Key verb, -vat·ed, -vat·ing, adjective 
