Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Raise \Raise\ (r[=a]z), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Raised (r[=a]zd); p. pr. & vb. n. Raising.] [OE. reisen, Icel. reisa, causative of r[=i]sa to rise. See Rise, and cf. Rear to raise.]
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To cause to rise; to bring from a lower to a higher place; to lift upward; to elevate; to heave; as, to raise a stone or weight. Hence, figuratively:
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To bring to a higher condition or situation; to elevate in rank, dignity, and the like; to increase the value or estimation of; to promote; to exalt; to advance; to enhance; as, to raise from a low estate; to raise to office; to raise the price, and the like.
This gentleman came to be raised to great titles.
--Clarendon.The plate pieces of eight were raised three pence in the piece.
--Sir W. Temple. To increase the strength, vigor, or vehemence of; to excite; to intensify; to invigorate; to heighten; as, to raise the pulse; to raise the voice; to raise the spirits or the courage; to raise the heat of a furnace.
To elevate in degree according to some scale; as, to raise the pitch of the voice; to raise the temperature of a room.
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To cause to rise up, or assume an erect position or posture; to set up; to make upright; as, to raise a mast or flagstaff. Hence:
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To cause to spring up from a recumbent position, from a state of quiet, or the like; to awaken; to arouse.
They shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
--Job xiv. 12. -
To rouse to action; to stir up; to incite to tumult, struggle, or war; to excite.
He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind.
--Ps. cvii. 25.[AE]neas . . . employs his pains, In parts remote, to raise the Tuscan swains.
--Dryden. -
To bring up from the lower world; to call up, as a spirit from the world of spirits; to recall from death; to give life to.
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead ?
--Acts xxvi. 8.
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To cause to arise, grow up, or come into being or to appear; to give rise to; to originate, produce, cause, effect, or the like. Hence, specifically:
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To form by the accumulation of materials or constituent parts; to build up; to erect; as, to raise a lofty structure, a wall, a heap of stones.
I will raise forts against thee.
--Isa. xxix. 3. To bring together; to collect; to levy; to get together or obtain for use or service; as, to raise money, troops, and the like. ``To raise up a rent.''
--Chaucer.-
To cause to grow; to procure to be produced, bred, or propagated; to grow; as, to raise corn, barley, hops, etc.; toraise cattle. ``He raised sheep.'' ``He raised wheat where none grew before.''
--Johnson's Dict.Note: In some parts of the United States, notably in the Southern States, raise is also commonly applied to the rearing or bringing up of children.
I was raised, as they say in Virginia, among the mountains of the North.
--Paulding. -
To bring into being; to produce; to cause to arise, come forth, or appear; -- often with up.
I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee.
--Deut. xviii. 18.God vouchsafes to raise another world From him [Noah], and all his anger to forget.
--Milton. -
To give rise to; to set agoing; to occasion; to start; to originate; as, to raise a smile or a blush.
Thou shalt not raise a false report.
--Ex. xxiii. 1. -
To give vent or utterance to; to utter; to strike up.
Soon as the prince appears, they raise a cry.
--Dryden. To bring to notice; to submit for consideration; as, to raise a point of order; to raise an objection.
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To cause to rise, as by the effect of leaven; to make light and spongy, as bread.
Miss Liddy can dance a jig, and raise paste.
--Spectator. -
(Naut.)
To cause (the land or any other object) to seem higher by drawing nearer to it; as, to raise Sandy Hook light.
To let go; as in the command, Raise tacks and sheets, i. e., Let go tacks and sheets.
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(Law) To create or constitute; as, to raise a use, that is, to create it.
--Burrill.To raise a blockade (Mil.), to remove or break up a blockade, either by withdrawing the ships or forces employed in enforcing it, or by driving them away or dispersing them.
To raise a check, note, bill of exchange, etc., to increase fraudulently its nominal value by changing the writing, figures, or printing in which the sum payable is specified.
To raise a siege, to relinquish an attempt to take a place by besieging it, or to cause the attempt to be relinquished.
To raise steam, to produce steam of a required pressure.
To raise the wind, to procure ready money by some temporary expedient. [Colloq.]
To raise Cain, or To raise the devil, to cause a great disturbance; to make great trouble. [Slang]
Syn: To lift; exalt; elevate; erect; originate; cause; produce; grow; heighten; aggravate; excite.
Wiktionary
n. (context banking English) A document demanding payment from another party, especially used in international trade.
WordNet
n. a document ordering the payment of money; drawn by one person or bank on another [syn: draft, order of payment]
Usage examples of "bill of exchange".
But as there is some distance between Paris and Amsterdam, it is necessary that he who for a crown of three livres gives me fifty-four gros, which he has in Holland, should give me a bill of exchange for fifty-four gros payable in Holland.