Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: AGRICULTURE

Date: 1100-1200
Language: Old Norse
Origin: reisa

raise

1 verb
     
raise1 S2 W1 [transitive]
1

move higher

to move or lift something to a higher position, place, or level:
Can you raise the torch so I can see?
William raised his hat and smiled at her.
Raise your hand if you know the right answer.
2

increase

to increase an amount, number, or level [≠ lower]:
Many shops have raised their prices.
The university is working to raise the number of students from state schools.
a campaign to raise awareness of meningitis
Dr Hayward intends to raise the museum's profile (=make it more well-known).
3

collect money

to collect money that you can use to do a particular job or help people:
The Trust hopes to raise $1 million to buy land.
They are raising funds to help needy youngsters.
a concert to raise money for charity
 ➔ fundraising
4

improve

to improve the quality or standard of something:
Changing the law cannot raise standards.
The team need to raise their game.
5

start a subject

to begin to talk or write about a subject that you want to be considered or a question that you think should be answered [= bring up]:
He did not raise the subject again.
I'd like to raise the issue of publicity.
Betty raised the important question of who will be in charge.
6

cause a reaction

to cause a particular emotion or reaction:
This attack raises fears of increased violence against foreigners.
The way the research was carried out raises doubts about the results.
7

move eyes or face

to move your eyes, head, or face so that you are looking up [≠ lower]:
Albert raised his eyes and stared at Ruth.
'No,' he said without raising his head.
8

move upright

also raise up to move or lift yourself into an upright position [≠ lower]
raise yourself
Adele raised herself from the pillows.
He raised himself up on one elbow to watch.
9

children

especially American English to look after your children and help them grow [= bring up British English]
Stan's dad died, leaving his mother to raise three sons alone.
It was time for Dean to settle down and raise a family.
Anne married a Jew, despite being raised a Catholic.
The new generation was the first to be raised on processed food.
Camus was born and raised in Algeria.
10

raise a smile

to smile when you are not feeling happy, or to make someone smile when they are not feeling happy:
I couldn't raise a smile.
11

animals or plants

TA to look after animals or grow plants so that they can be sold or used as food:
He raised cattle in Nebraska when he was young.
Jim retired to raise raspberries.
12

collect people

to collect together a large group of people, especially soldiers:
The rebels quickly raised an army.
13

raise your eyebrows

to show surprise, doubt, disapproval etc by moving your eyebrows upwards:
Blanche raised her eyebrows in surprise.
14

raise eyebrows

if something raises eyebrows, it surprises people:
The band's new sound will raise some eyebrows.
15

raise your voice

to speak loudly or shout because you are angry:
He's never raised his voice to me.
I could hear raised voices in the next room.
16

raise your glass

spokenDFD to celebrate someone's happiness or success by holding up your glass and drinking from it:
Ladies and gentlemen, will you raise your glasses to the bride and groom.
17

raise the alarm

British English to warn people about a danger so that they can take action:
Sam stayed with his injured friend while a passing motorist raised the alarm.
18

raise the spectre of something

literary to make people feel afraid that something frightening might soon happen:
The violence has raised the spectre of civil war.
19

raise its (ugly) head

if a question or problem raises its head, it appears and has to be dealt with:
Another problem then raised its ugly head.
20

card game

DGC to make a higher bid than an opponent in a card game:
I'll raise you $100.
21

raise hell

informal to complain in a very angry way about something you think is not acceptable:
I'll raise hell with whoever is responsible for this mess.
22

raise hell/Cain

especially American English to behave in a wild, noisy way that upsets other people:
The kids next door were raising hell last night.
23

raise the roof

to make a very loud noise when singing, celebrating etc
24

speak to somebody

TCT to speak to someone on a piece of radio equipment [= contact, get]:
They finally managed to raise him at Miller's sheep farm.
25

wake somebody

literary to wake someone who is difficult to wake:
Try as he might he could not raise her.
26

dead person

old useRRC to make someone who has died live again:
Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave.
27

raise a siege/embargo

formal to allow goods to go in and out of a place again after they have been stopped by force or by a law
28

build

formalTBC to build something such as a monument [= erect]
29

raise 2/4/10 etc to the power of 2/3/4 etc

technicalHM to multiply a number by itself a particular number of times:
2 raised to the power of 3 is 8.
WORD CHOICE: WORD CHOICE:

raise, rise When raise is a verb, it must have an object. It is a fairly formal way to say 'lift something up' or 'move something up' • Raise your right hand. • He raised the box above his head. It is not formal when it means 'make something increase' • We will have to raise our fees. When rise is a verb, it does not have an object. It is a fairly formal way to say 'move up' • Smoke rose into the sky. It is also a formal way to say 'get up' or 'stand up', used mainly in literary writing • He rose to greet me. It is not formal when it means 'increase' • Prices are rising rapidly. In British English, raise is never a noun. Use rise • He asked for a pay rise. • There has been a rise in unemployment. In American English, a raise is an increase in pay • She offered me a raise.
Definition of raise from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic AGRICULTURE
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