[Origin: 1150–1200; ME reisen (v.) < Scand (cf. ON reisa); cf. also Goth -raisjan (causative v. formed on Gmc base of OE rīsan to rise), OE rǣran to rear2]
—Related forms
rais·a·ble, raise·a·ble, adjective
raiser, noun
—Synonyms 1, 2. loft. 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. 3. arouse, awaken. 4. construct, rear. 7. cultivate. 9. originate, produce, effect. 13. excite. 14. invigorate, inspirit. 15. elevate, promote, exalt. 17. heighten, enlarge. 18. amplify, augment.
—Antonyms 1. lower.
—Usage 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.
To move to a higher position; elevate: raised the loads with a crane. See Synonyms at lift.
To set in an upright or erect position: raise a flagpole.
To erect or build: raise a new building.
To cause to arise, appear, or exist: The slap raised a welt.
To increase in size, quantity, or worth: raise an employee's salary.
To increase in intensity, degree, strength, or pitch: raised his voice.
To improve in rank or dignity; promote: raised her to management level.
To grow, especially in quantity; cultivate: raise corn and soybeans.
To breed and care for to maturity: raise cattle.
To bring up; rear: raise children.
To accustom to something from an early age: "Such amenities are ... meant to make churchgoing attractive to a post-World War II generation raised on shopping malls and multiplex cinemas"(Gustav Niebuhr).
To awaken; arouse: noise that would raise the dead.
To stir up; instigate: raise a revolt.
To bring about; provoke: remarks intended to raise a laugh.
To increase (a poker bet).
To bet more than (a preceding bettor in poker).
To increase the bid of (one's bridge partner).
To put forward for consideration: raised an important question. See Synonyms at broach1.
To voice; utter: raise a shout.
To awaken; arouse: noise that would raise the dead.
To stir up; instigate: raise a revolt.
To bring about; provoke: remarks intended to raise a laugh.
To increase (a poker bet).
To bet more than (a preceding bettor in poker).
To increase the bid of (one's bridge partner).
To make contact with by radio: couldn't raise the control tower after midnight.
To gather together; collect: raise money from the neighbors for a charity.
To cause (dough) to puff up.
To end (a siege) by withdrawing troops or forcing the enemy troops to withdraw.
To remove or withdraw (an order).
Games
To increase (a poker bet).
To bet more than (a preceding bettor in poker).
To increase the bid of (one's bridge partner).
Nautical To bring into sight by approaching nearer: raised the Cape.
To alter and increase fraudulently the written value of (a check, for example).
To cough up (phlegm).
Scots To make angry; enrage.
v.
intr.Games
To increase a poker bet or a bridge bid.
n.
The act of raising or increasing.
An increase in salary.
[Middle English raisen, from Old Norse reisa; see er-1 in Indo-European roots.]
c.1200, from O.N. reisa "to raise," from P.Gmc. *raizjan (cf. Goth. ur-raisjan, O.E. ræran "to rear," see rear (v.)), causative of base *ris- "to rise" (see rise). At first sharing many senses with native rear (v.). Used in most of the varied modern senses since M.E.; some later evolutions include "to bring up" (a child), 1744; "to elevate" (the consciousness), 1970. The noun is first recorded 1500 in sense of "a levy;" meaning "increase in amount or value" is from 1728, specific sense in poker is from 1821. Meaning "increase in salary or wages" is from 1898, chiefly Amer.Eng. (British preferring rise).
the amount a salary is increased; "he got a 3% raise"; "he got a wage hike"
2.
an upward slope or grade (as in a road); "the car couldn't make it up the rise" [syn: ascent] [ant: declension]
3.
increasing the size of a bet (as in poker); "I'll see your raise and double it"
4.
the act of raising something; "he responded with a lift of his eyebrow"; "fireman learn several different raises for getting ladders up" [syn: lift]
verb
1.
raise the level or amount of something; "raise my salary"; "raise the price of bread"
2.
raise from a lower to a higher position; "Raise your hands"; "Lift a load" [ant: bring down]
3.
cause to be heard or known; express or utter; "raise a shout"; "raise a protest"; "raise a sad cry"
4.
collect funds for a specific purpose; "The President raised several million dollars for his college"
5.
cultivate by growing, often involving improvements by means of agricultural techniques; "The Bordeaux region produces great red wines"; "They produce good ham in Parma"; "We grow wheat here"; "We raise hogs here" [syn: grow]
6.
bring up; "raise a family"; "bring up children" [syn: rear]
7.
summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic; "raise the specter of unemployment"; "he conjured wild birds in the air"; "call down the spirits from the mountain"
construct, build, or erect; "Raise a barn" [ant: dismantle]
10.
call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses); "arouse pity"; "raise a smile"; "evoke sympathy" [syn: arouse]
11.
create a disturbance, especially by making a great noise; "raise hell"; "raise the roof"; "raise Cain"
12.
raise in rank or condition; "The new law lifted many people from poverty" [syn: lift]
13.
increase; "This will enhance your enjoyment"; "heighten the tension" [syn: enhance]
14.
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]
15.
cause to puff up with a leaven; "unleavened bread"
16.
bid (one's partner's suit) at a higher level
17.
bet more than the previous player
18.
cause to assemble or enlist in the military; "raise an army"; "recruit new soldiers" [syn: recruit]
19.
put forward for consideration or discussion; "raise the question of promotions"; "bring up an unpleasant topic"
20.
pronounce (vowels) by bringing the tongue closer to the roof of the mouth; "raise your 'o'"
21.
activate or stir up; "raise a mutiny"
22.
establish radio communications with; "They managed to raise Hanoi last night"
23.
multiply (a number) by itself a specified number of times: 8 is 2 raised to the power 3
24.
bring (a surface or a design) into relief and cause to project; "raised edges"
25.
invigorate or heighten; "lift my spirits"; "lift his ego"
26.
put an end to; "lift a ban"; "raise a siege" [syn: lift]
27.
cause to become alive again; "raise from the dead"; "Slavery is already dead, and cannot be resurrected"; "Upraising ghosts" [syn: resurrect]
Block*ade"\, n. [Cf. It. bloccata. See Block, v. t. ]1. The shutting up of a place by troops or ships, with the purpose of preventing ingress or egress, or the reception of supplies; as, the blockade of the ports of an enemy. Note: Blockade is now usually applied to an investment with ships or vessels, while siege is used of an investment by land forces. To constitute a blockade, the investing power must be able to apply its force to every point of practicable access, so as to render it dangerous to attempt to enter; and there is no blockade of that port where its force can not be brought to bear. --Kent. 2. An obstruction to passage. To raise a blockade. See under Raise.
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