1raise 
/ˈreɪz/ verb
rais·es; raised; rais·ing /ˈreɪz/ verb [+ obj] 1 a : to lift or move (something or someone) to a higher position
▪ Raise your hand if you know the answer. ▪ Raise your arms above your head. ▪ He raised his head and looked around. ▪ She raised her eyes from her book and stared at him. ▪ He raised the cup to his lips and drank. ▪ I raised the lid and peeked inside. ▪ Let's raise the windows and get some fresh air in here. ▪ We raised the flag to the top of the pole.
b : to lift or move (something or someone) to a standing or more upright position
▪ They raised [=erected, put up] a flagpole in the quadrangle. ▪ I carefully raised her to a sitting position. ▪ She raised herself onto her knees. — often + up ▪ He slowly raised himself up off the floor. ▪ The men raised up the barn's walls with pulleys. — opposite lower 2 a : to increase the amount or level of (something)
▪ Our landlord is raising the rent. ▪ The store is raising its prices. ▪ The governor wants to raise the minimum wage. ▪ He matched the bet and then raised it. ▪ The college is raising its standards for admission. ▪ Exercise raises your body temperature. ▪ The ad campaign is intended to raise awareness of the importance of a healthy diet. ▪ Exposure to secondhand smoke raises the risk of lung cancer. ▪ The captain tried to raise the spirits of his crew. [=the captain tried to cheer them up]
b : to increase the quality of (something)
▪ She needs to raise her game in the play-offs. [=she needs to play better in the play-offs] 3 : to collect (money) from people for a particular cause
▪ The organization is raising money to help the hurricane victims. — usually + for ▪ The students are raising money for their school. 4 : to form (something, such as an army) by gathering a group of people together
▪ The rebels were able to raise an army quickly. 5 a : to mention (something) for people to think or talk about
▪ The issue of money was never raised. ▪ I'm sorry that I have to raise this subject, but we can't ignore it any longer.
b : to cause people to think about or be aware of (something)
▪ The book raises many questions about our biological origins. ▪ The discovery raises the possibility of a cure for the disease. [=the discovery makes it possible that a cure for the disease will be found] 6 : to cause (something) to happen or exist : to produce (something)
▪ The news raised hopes for peace. ▪ The news raised fears of war. ▪ Her comment raised a few smiles/laughs. ▪ He was so tired he could barely raise a smile. [=he could barely smile] ▪ The laws were passed without raising much opposition. ▪ A passerby saw the intruders and raised [=sounded] the alarm. ▪ The audience raised a cheer [=the audience cheered] at the end of the speech. ▪ Some people are raising a ruckus/fuss/stink [=are complaining or objecting very angrily] about the proposed tax. 7 chiefly US : to take care of and teach (a child) : to bring up or rear (a child)
▪ We have raised two wonderful girls. ▪ They have raised their children to be well-mannered. ▪ She was raised by her grandparents. ▪ He was raised (as) a Baptist. = He was raised Baptist. ▪ My dad was raised on a farm. ▪ Some kids are raised on (a diet of) junk food. ▪ I was born and raised here. ▪ This is a wonderful place to raise a family. 8 : to keep and take care of (animals or crops)
▪ He raises [=breeds] chickens on his farm. ▪ They're raising [=growing] corn this year. 9 : to cause (a dead person) to live again : resurrect
▪ He claimed that he could raise people from the dead. = He claimed that he could raise the dead. ▪ That noise is loud enough to raise the dead. 10 formal : to stop or remove (something that is preventing or blocking an activity) often for only a short period of time
▪ They raised the siege/embargo/blockade. ▪ The city has temporarily raised [=lifted] its ban on smoking in bars. 11 : to build (a monument, statue, etc.) : erect
▪ The city raised a monument in his honor. 12 mathematics : to multiply (a number) by itself a specified number of times
▪ Raise two to the fourth power. ▪ Two raised to the fourth power is 16. 13 : to get (someone) to speak with you on a radio : to contact (someone) by radio
▪ We tried to raise him on the radio, but we couldn't get through. 14 : to bet more than (a previous player in a card game)
▪ I'll match that bet and raise you five. [=I'll increase your bet by 5]
▪ Raise your hand if you know the answer. ▪ Raise your arms above your head. ▪ He raised his head and looked around. ▪ She raised her eyes from her book and stared at him. ▪ He raised the cup to his lips and drank. ▪ I raised the lid and peeked inside. ▪ Let's raise the windows and get some fresh air in here. ▪ We raised the flag to the top of the pole.
b : to lift or move (something or someone) to a standing or more upright position
▪ They raised [=erected, put up] a flagpole in the quadrangle. ▪ I carefully raised her to a sitting position. ▪ She raised herself onto her knees. — often + up ▪ He slowly raised himself up off the floor. ▪ The men raised up the barn's walls with pulleys. — opposite lower
▪ Our landlord is raising the rent. ▪ The store is raising its prices. ▪ The governor wants to raise the minimum wage. ▪ He matched the bet and then raised it. ▪ The college is raising its standards for admission. ▪ Exercise raises your body temperature. ▪ The ad campaign is intended to raise awareness of the importance of a healthy diet. ▪ Exposure to secondhand smoke raises the risk of lung cancer. ▪ The captain tried to raise the spirits of his crew. [=the captain tried to cheer them up]
b : to increase the quality of (something)
▪ She needs to raise her game in the play-offs. [=she needs to play better in the play-offs]
▪ The organization is raising money to help the hurricane victims. — usually + for ▪ The students are raising money for their school.
▪ The rebels were able to raise an army quickly.
▪ The issue of money was never raised. ▪ I'm sorry that I have to raise this subject, but we can't ignore it any longer.
b : to cause people to think about or be aware of (something)
▪ The book raises many questions about our biological origins. ▪ The discovery raises the possibility of a cure for the disease. [=the discovery makes it possible that a cure for the disease will be found]
▪ The news raised hopes for peace. ▪ The news raised fears of war. ▪ Her comment raised a few smiles/laughs. ▪ He was so tired he could barely raise a smile. [=he could barely smile] ▪ The laws were passed without raising much opposition. ▪ A passerby saw the intruders and raised [=sounded] the alarm. ▪ The audience raised a cheer [=the audience cheered] at the end of the speech. ▪ Some people are raising a ruckus/fuss/stink [=are complaining or objecting very angrily] about the proposed tax.
▪ We have raised two wonderful girls. ▪ They have raised their children to be well-mannered. ▪ She was raised by her grandparents. ▪ He was raised (as) a Baptist. = He was raised Baptist. ▪ My dad was raised on a farm. ▪ Some kids are raised on (a diet of) junk food. ▪ I was born and raised here. ▪ This is a wonderful place to raise a family.
▪ He raises [=breeds] chickens on his farm. ▪ They're raising [=growing] corn this year.
▪ He claimed that he could raise people from the dead. = He claimed that he could raise the dead. ▪ That noise is loud enough to raise the dead.
▪ They raised the siege/embargo/blockade. ▪ The city has temporarily raised [=lifted] its ban on smoking in bars.
▪ The city raised a monument in his honor.
▪ Raise two to the fourth power. ▪ Two raised to the fourth power is 16.
▪ We tried to raise him on the radio, but we couldn't get through.
▪ I'll match that bet and raise you five. [=I'll increase your bet by 5]
raise a glass — see 1glass
raise an/your eyebrow, raise eyebrows — see eyebrow
raise Cain
US, old-fashioned 1 : to behave wildly and make a lot of noise
▪ They were always getting drunk and raising Cain. 2 : to complain in a loud or angry way
▪ The townsfolk raised Cain [=raised hell] about the tax increase.
▪ They were always getting drunk and raising Cain.
▪ The townsfolk raised Cain [=raised hell] about the tax increase.
raise hell — see hell
raise its ugly head — see 1head
raise the bar — see 1bar
raise the roof — see 1roof
raise your voice
: to speak loudly especially because you are angry
▪ Don't you raise your voice at me! ▪ The baby is sleeping, so try not to raise your voice. ▪ Many people raised their voices [=spoke out] in protest. = Many voices were raised in protest.
▪ Don't you raise your voice at me! ▪ The baby is sleeping, so try not to raise your voice. ▪ Many people raised their voices [=spoke out] in protest. = Many voices were raised in protest.
