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raise (v.)

c. 1200, "cause a rising of; lift upright, set upright; build, construct," from a Scandinavian source, such as Old Norse reisa "to raise," from Proto-Germanic *raizjan (source also of Gothic ur-raisjan, Old English ræran "to rear;" see rear (v.)), causative of root *ris- "to rise" (see rise (v.)). At first sharing many senses with native rear (v.1).

Meaning "make higher" is from c. 1300 in the physical sense, as is that of "restore to life." Of the voice, from late 14c. Meaning "increase the amount of" is from c. 1500; from 1530s of prices, etc. Meaning "to bring up" (a question, etc.) is from 1640s. Card-playing sense is from 1821. Meaning "promote the growth of" (plants, etc.) is from 1660s; sense of "foster, rear, bring up" (of children) is from 1744. Meaning "to elevate" (the consciousness) is from 1970. Related: Raised; raising.

Pickering ["A Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and Phrases Which Have Been Supposed to be Peculiar to the United States of America," 1816] has a long passage on the use of raise and grow in reference to crops. He writes that in the U.S. raise is used of persons, in the sense "brought up," but it is "never thus used in the Northern States. Bartlett [1848] adds that it "is applied in the Southern States to the breeding of negroes. It is sometimes heard at the North among the illiterate; as 'I was raised in Connecticut,' meaning brought up there."

raise (n.)

"act of raising or lifting," 1530s, from raise (v.). Meaning "an increase in amount or value" is from 1728. Meaning "increase in salary or wages" is from 1898, chiefly American English (British preferring rise). Earliest attested use (c. 1500) is in obsolete sense of "a levy."

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Definitions of raise from WordNet
1
raise (v.)
raise the level or amount of something;
raise my salary
raise the price of bread
raise (v.)
raise from a lower to a higher position;
Synonyms: lift / elevate / get up / bring up
raise (v.)
cause to be heard or known; express or utter;
raise a protest
raise a shout
raise a sad cry
raise (v.)
collect funds for a specific purpose;
The President raised several million dollars for his college
raise (v.)
cultivate by growing, often involving improvements by means of agricultural techniques;
We raise hogs here
Synonyms: grow / farm / produce
raise (v.)
look after a child until it is an adult;
raise a family
Synonyms: rear / bring up / nurture / parent
raise (v.)
summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic;
raise the specter of unemployment
Synonyms: conjure / conjure up / invoke / evoke / stir / call down / arouse / bring up / put forward / call forth
raise (v.)
move upwards;
Synonyms: lift
raise (v.)
construct, build, or erect;
Synonyms: erect / rear / set up / put up
raise (v.)
call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses);
raise a smile
Synonyms: arouse / elicit / enkindle / kindle / evoke / fire / provoke
raise (v.)
create a disturbance, especially by making a great noise;
raise hell
raise the roof
raise Cain
raise (v.)
raise in rank or condition;
Synonyms: lift / elevate
raise (v.)
increase;
Synonyms: enhance / heighten
raise (v.)
give a promotion to or assign to a higher position;
Synonyms: promote / upgrade / advance / kick upstairs / elevate
raise (v.)
cause to puff up with a leaven;
Synonyms: leaven / prove
raise (v.)
bid (one's partner's suit) at a higher level;
raise (v.)
bet more than the previous player;
raise (v.)
cause to assemble or enlist in the military;
raise an army
Synonyms: recruit / levy
raise (v.)
put forward for consideration or discussion;
raise the question of promotions
Synonyms: bring up
raise (v.)
pronounce (vowels) by bringing the tongue closer to the roof of the mouth;
raise your `o'
raise (v.)
activate or stir up;
raise a mutiny
raise (v.)
establish radio communications with;
They managed to raise Hanoi last night
raise (v.)
multiply (a number) by itself a specified number of times: 8 is 2 raised to the power 3;
raise (v.)
bring (a surface or a design) into relief and cause to project;
raised edges
raise (v.)
invigorate or heighten;
Synonyms: lift
raise (v.)
put an end to;
raise a siege
Synonyms: lift
raise (v.)
cause to become alive again;
raise from the dead
Synonyms: resurrect / upraise
2
raise (n.)
the amount a salary is increased;
he got a 3% raise
Synonyms: rise / wage hike / hike / wage increase / salary increase
raise (n.)
an upward slope or grade (as in a road);
Synonyms: ascent / acclivity / rise / climb / upgrade
raise (n.)
increasing the size of a bet (as in poker);
I'll see your raise and double it
raise (n.)
the act of raising something;
fireman learn several different raises for getting ladders up
Synonyms: lift / heave
From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near raise

rain-out

rainproof

rainstorm

rainwater

rainy

raise

raisin

raising

raison d'etat

raison d'etre

raisonne

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