raise
raise — verb
1. to move something upward from where it was resting, using physical effort such a
to move something upward from where it was resting, using physical effort such as the muscles in your arms or back.
Owen raised the heavy box onto the top shelf in the storeroom.
raise + object + onto [location]
The nurse gently raised the patient's head so he could drink some water.
raise + body part
Jiwoo raised her hand to ask the teacher a question about the homework.
Asher raised the window to let some fresh air into the hot kitchen.
raise + object (window/door/lid)
- raise one's hand
- raise a window
- raise one's head
- raise a flag
- raise the roof (literal)
- lower
to move something down to a lower position
Grammar Patterns
raise + object
raise + object + adverb/preposition
Usage Note
This sense always takes a direct object — the thing that is moved upward. For the intransitive equivalent (moving upward by itself), use 'rise'. Compare: 'She raised the blind' vs. 'The sun rises in the east.'
Common Mistakes
2. to make an amount, level, price, or standard go up to a higher number or degree.
to make an amount, level, price, or standard go up to a higher number or degree.
The landlord raised the rent by three hundred dollars without warning.
raise + amount + by + number
Heloísa's boss raised her salary after she completed the biggest project of the year.
Rohan raised his voice so the people at the back of the hall could hear him speak.
raise one's voice
The government raised the speed limit on the highway from 100 to 120 kilometres per hour.
raise + object + from + [number] + to + [number]
- raise prices
- raise taxes
- raise wages
- raise one's voice
- raise standards
- raise the temperature
- raise the level
Grammar Patterns
raise + object
raise + object + by + amount
raise + object + to + amount
Common Mistakes
3. to get something started, bring it together, or bring it to people's notice — fo
to get something started, bring it together, or bring it to people's notice — for instance, collecting money for a cause, mentioning a topic to discuss, or creating a feeling among a group.
The neighbourhood raised enough money to build a wheelchair ramp at the library entrance.
raise + money + for + purpose
Adaeze raised the issue of unpaid overtime at the weekly team meeting.
raise + an issue/question/concern
The documentary about climate change raised serious questions about the future of coastal cities.
Zayd's sudden resignation raised suspicions among his colleagues in the finance department.
raise + suspicion/doubt/concern
- raise money
- raise funds
- raise a question
- raise an issue
- raise concerns
- raise awareness
- raise suspicion
- raise doubts
- raise hopes
- raise a monument
Grammar Patterns
raise + object + for + purpose
raise + question/issue/concern + about + topic
raise + money/funds + for + cause
Usage Note
This is the broadest sense of 'raise'. The object determines which sub-meaning is activated: 'raise money/funds' = collect; 'raise a question/issue' = mention for discussion; 'raise suspicion/doubt/concern' = cause to exist; 'raise a building/monument' = build or construct. The common thread is bringing something into being or attention.
Common Mistakes
4. to look after a child or baby animal from birth until adulthood, or to grow plan
to look after a child or baby animal from birth until adulthood, or to grow plants and keep farm livestock for your own use or to sell.
Kasia was raised by her grandmother in a small fishing village on the coast.
passive: be raised + by + person
Alessia raises chickens in her backyard and sells the eggs at the local market.
The couple raised three children while both working full-time jobs at the hospital.
raise + children
Sari raised her daughter to treat everyone with kindness and respect regardless of their background.
raise + child + to + infinitive (purpose)
- raise children
- raise a family
- raise cattle
- raise chickens
- raise crops
- raise corn
- be raised on a farm
- bring up
equivalent to 'raise children'; more common in British English; cannot be used for animals or crops
- rear
slightly more formal; common for animals but less common for children in everyday speech
- cultivate
used for plants and crops; more technical and formal
- breed
used specifically for animals, often for commercial purposes
Grammar Patterns
raise + child/animal/crop
be raised + adverb/preposition
Usage Note
For children, 'raise' and 'bring up' are often interchangeable in American English, though 'bring up' can sound slightly more informal. In British English, 'bring up' is more common than 'raise' for caring for children. For animals and crops, 'raise' is standard in all varieties.
Common Mistakes
5. when playing betting games like poker, to wager a larger sum than the person who
when playing betting games like poker, to wager a larger sum than the person who bet just before you, so the total money in the middle grows.
Zayd checked his cards and decided to raise by twenty dollars on the poker table.
raise + by + amount
Christopher raised his opponent's bet even though he had a weak hand in the game.
raise + opponent's + bet
With three aces in his hand, Owen confidently raised the stakes at the poker table.
Diya waited for her turn and announced 'I raise' while pushing chips into the centre of the table.
intransitive use: 'I raise'
- raise the bet
- raise the stakes
- raise by ten dollars
- raise the bid
- up the bet
informal way of saying 'raise' in casual card games
- increase the stakes
can be used literally in card games or figuratively in any competitive situation
Grammar Patterns
raise + amount
raise + opponent
intransitive: 'I raise.'
Usage Note
In card games, 'raise' can be used intransitively ('I raise.') or transitively ('I raise you twenty dollars.'). The noun form 'a raise' also exists in this context, meaning an increase in the bet.
6. to officially end a restriction, prohibition, or military blockade, allowing nor
to officially end a restriction, prohibition, or military blockade, allowing normal activity to resume.
The government raised the ban on international travel after two years of restrictions.
raise + a ban
The army finally raised the siege of the city after three months of intense negotiations.
raise + a siege
The trade embargo was raised following a new agreement between the two neighbouring countries.
passive: embargo was raised
With infection rates dropping, the city council voted to raise the curfew that had been in place for six months.
raise + a curfew
- raise a ban
- raise a siege
- raise a blockade
- raise an embargo
- raise a restriction
Grammar Patterns
raise + a ban/siege/blockade/embargo
Usage Note
This sense is limited to formal, political, or military contexts. It is the opposite of 'impose' (a ban/siege/embargo). The object must be something that was formally in place and is now being lifted.
7. to get in touch with a person or station using radio, telephone, or a similar de
to get in touch with a person or station using radio, telephone, or a similar device — often after several failed attempts to make a connection.
The ship's captain raised the coast guard on the emergency radio channel.
raise + person/organisation + on + radio
The pilot raised the control tower to request permission for an emergency landing.
After ten minutes of static, Rohan finally raised the base camp on his satellite phone.
finally raised + person + on + device
The rescue team tried to raise the hikers on the radio but got no response.
try to raise + person
- raise on the radio
- raise on the phone
- raise base camp
- raise the control tower
- raise headquarters
- contact
more general and common; works in any communication context
- reach
informal, can mean contacting someone by any means
- get through to
phrasal verb; emphasizes the difficulty of establishing contact
Grammar Patterns
raise + person/station + on + radio/phone
Usage Note
This sense is primarily used in professional contexts where establishing contact is not guaranteed — such as ships, aircraft, or remote expeditions. For everyday phone calls, use 'call' or 'reach' instead.
8. to bring a dead person back to life, especially through divine power or supernat
to bring a dead person back to life, especially through divine power or supernatural means in religious or mythological stories.
According to the ancient story, the priestess could raise the dead with a single touch.
raise the dead
In the old myth, the goddess Isis raised Osiris from the dead after his brother had killed him.
raise + person + from the dead
In the legend, the holy man was raised from the dead on the third day after his burial.
passive: was raised from the dead
The novel tells the story of a scientist who claims he can raise people from the dead using a machine.
- raise from the dead
- raise the dead
- raise to life
- resurrect
more common in modern English; can be used literally (religious) or figuratively (reviving an idea or practice)
- bring back to life
longer but clearer; works in both literal and figurative contexts
Grammar Patterns
raise + person + from + the dead
Usage Note
In modern non-religious use, this sense is extremely rare outside of fantasy literature and mythology. The more common word for bringing back from the dead in general English is 'resurrect'. 'Raise from the dead' is set-phrase with biblical origins.
raise to
phrasal verbTo bring someone to a higher level or position.
The company raised him to the position of manager.
Her hard work raised her to the top of the class.
raise the roof
idiomto make a very loud noise, especially by shouting, cheering, or playing music very loudly.
The crowd raised the roof when the home team scored the winning goal in the final minute of the game.
The band's energetic performance raised the roof at the festival last night.
raise eyebrows
idiomto shock or surprise people, or to cause them to feel disapproval because of something unusual or unexpected.
The actor's sudden decision to quit the film raised eyebrows among Hollywood directors.
Jiwoo's expensive new car raised eyebrows in the neighbourhood where she lived.
raise the bar
idiomto set a new and higher standard of quality or performance for others to try to match.
The new smartphone raises the bar for battery life and camera quality in the industry.
Raising the bar on customer service helped the hotel win an award for excellence.
raise the alarm
idiomto warn people of danger or to make people aware of a serious problem or threat.
A neighbour saw smoke coming from the house and raised the alarm immediately.
Environmental groups have raised the alarm about the rapid loss of forest in the region.
to hold up your drinking glass as a gesture to wish someone happiness, good luck, or to honour them before drinking.
At the wedding reception, the father of the bride raised his glass to the happy couple.
Guests raised their glasses to celebrate the award winner's remarkable achievements.
to do nothing to help someone, especially when they need assistance or are in difficulty.
Diya's brother watched her carry all the boxes upstairs but did not raise a finger to help her.
The landlord did not lift a finger to fix the broken heater even though winter was approaching fast.
to threaten or attempt to hit someone, or to use physical violence against them.
The teacher explained that no student should ever raise a hand against another classmate in anger.
Asher was taught from a young age never to raise a hand to anyone, no matter how angry he felt.
to complain loudly and angrily, or to cause trouble and create a disturbance.
Customers raised hell when the airline lost their luggage for the third time in one month.
The students raised Cain when the school cancelled the annual trip without any explanation.
raise your sights
idiomto expect more from a situation or to aim for a higher goal than you originally planned.
After winning the local championship, the team raised their sights and aimed for the national title.
The scholarship encouraged Sari to raise her sights and apply to her dream university.
To cause someone to become angry or annoyed.
His rude comments about her cooking raised Maya's hackles.
The unfair policy made the workers' hackles rise immediately.
To make no effort to help someone who needs assistance.
When Sara was sick, her roommate did not lift a finger.
Brian never raised a hand to help with the group project.
To make no effort to help someone who needs assistance.
The neighbors did not raise a finger when the fire started.
Despite the mess, Tom never lifted a hand to clean up.
raise/up the ante
idiomTo increase what is at stake or demanded in a situation.
The company raised the ante by offering a bigger bonus.
In the negotiation, Diego upped the ante with new demands.
To show surprise or disapproval of something.
Many parents raised their eyebrows at the new school rules.
When he wore a hat indoors, Aiden raised his eyebrows.
To hold up your glass as a gesture of respect or good wishes before drinking.
At the wedding, everyone raised their glass to the happy couple.
Min raised her glass to her mentor during the farewell dinner.
To hit or threaten to hit someone.
The teacher warned the student not to raise a hand against others.
In anger, he raised his hand to his brother but stopped.
raise hell
idiomTo complain or protest very angrily and noisily.
The customers raised hell when their orders were wrong.
After the unfair decision, the workers raised hell at the meeting.
To increase or decrease your expectations or goals.
After failing the exam, she lowered her sights and chose a different career.
He raised his sights and applied for a more challenging job.
To make someone feel happier or more hopeful.
The good news raised everyone's spirits after a long week.
A walk in the park raised Sara's spirits when she felt down.
To increase or decrease the level of excitement or emotion in a situation.
His angry words raised the temperature of the debate.
The manager tried to lower the temperature by calming everyone down.
raise — noun
1. extra money that your employer adds to your wages or salary, usually because you
extra money that your employer adds to your wages or salary, usually because you have done good work or because the cost of living has gone up.
Adaeze asked her manager for a raise after working overtime for six months without extra pay.
ask for a raise
The company gave all employees a five percent raise at the start of the new financial year.
give + someone + a raise
Jiwoo received a raise for completing the project two weeks ahead of the original deadline.
Workers at the factory are demanding a raise to match the rising cost of living in the city.
demand a raise
- ask for a raise
- get a raise
- give someone a raise
- receive a raise
- demand a raise
- deserve a raise
- pay rise
equivalent in British English
- pay increase
more formal, used in official contexts
- salary increment
formal, used in written employment policies
- pay cut
a reduction in salary
Grammar Patterns
get a raise
ask for a raise
give someone a raise
Usage Note
In American English, 'raise' is the standard noun for a salary increase. In British English, the equivalent noun is 'rise' (e.g. 'a pay rise'). Taiwanese learners studying American English should use 'raise'; those following British English should use 'rise'.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/2
All five words describe making something larger, higher, or stronger, but they differ in formality, scope, and typical collocations. 'Increase' is the most neutral and widely used — it works for prices, numbers, speed, and many other contexts ('The company increased production by 20%'). 'Raise' is also very common but implies a deliberate action by someone in authority ('The landlord raised the rent'). 'Boost' suggests a sudden or significant improvement, often in morale, sales, or confidence ('The new policy boosted employee morale'). 'Elevate' is more formal and often used in figurative or technical contexts ('elevate the discussion to a higher level'). 'Hike' is informal and strongly associated with prices, taxes, or fees ('The government hiked taxes on cigarettes'). For everyday use, 'increase' and 'raise' cover most situations; 'boost' adds a sense of energy; 'hike' is for complaints about costs; and 'elevate' is for formal or abstract settings. Example: 'Raising the price of milk' is something a store does deliberately; 'increasing the price of milk' is a factual observation; 'hiking the price of milk' implies the speaker thinks it is unfair.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'raise' comes from Old Norse 'reisa', meaning to cause to stand up or to set upright. It entered English through Viking settlements in northern England during the early Middle Ages, gradually replacing the Old English verb 'ræran' (which survives today as 'rear', meaning to bring up children or animals). The related verb 'rise' entered English separately from Old English 'risan' (to get up), which shares a common Germanic root with 'raise' but followed a different grammatical path — 'rise' became an intransitive strong verb (rise/rose/risen), while 'raise' remained a transitive weak verb (raise/raised/raised).