# raise

/ˈɹeɪz/ (US) · /ɹˈeɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/raise
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to lift up

verb · CEFR A2

to move something to a higher position.

For teachers: to move something to a higher vertical position; transitive, requiring a direct object.

- Please raise your hand if you have a question about the homework.
- The workers used a heavy-duty crane to raise the steel beams to the top floor of the construction site.

### 2. to care for children

verb · CEFR B1

to look after a child or animal until they are fully grown.

For teachers: to nurture and support a child or animal through its growth to maturity.

- She was raised by her grandparents in a small town near the coast.
- Raising children in a bilingual household requires consistent effort from both parents to ensure fluency in both languages.

### 3. to collect money

verb · CEFR B1

to gather money together for a specific purpose, like a charity.

For teachers: to collect or amass funds, especially for a philanthropic or commercial venture.

- The school held a bake sale to raise money for new library books.
- The non-profit organisation managed to raise over two million dollars during their annual gala for cancer research.

### 4. to mention a topic

verb · CEFR B2

to bring up a subject or a problem so people can talk about it.

For teachers: to introduce a subject, issue, or question for consideration or debate.

- I plan to raise the issue of office heating at the next meeting.
- The auditor raised several concerns regarding the company's recent acquisition of its smaller competitor.

### 5. to increase an amount

verb · CEFR B1

to make an amount, level, or price higher.

For teachers: to cause an increase in the level, amount, or strength of something.

- The central bank decided to raise interest rates to control inflation.
- The sudden surge in demand for electric vehicles has raised expectations for the company's quarterly earnings report.

### 6. increase in pay

noun · CEFR A2 · American English

an increase in the money you earn from your job.

For teachers: an increase in salary or wages.

- After working there for a year, she finally asked her boss for a raise.
- The union negotiated a five percent raise for all staff members to offset the rising cost of living.

Usage: In British English, 'pay rise' is the standard term.

Teaching tip: Learners should be aware that 'raise' as a noun for salary is primarily American; 'rise' is used in the UK.

### 7. betting

noun · CEFR B2

an increase in the amount of a bet in a game like poker.

For teachers: an increase in the amount of a previous wager in a gambling context.

- He made a large raise to scare the other players into folding.
- The professional player responded with a significant raise, forcing his opponent to reconsider the strength of his own hand.

## Examples

- She is going to ask her boss for a raise tomorrow.
- After completing the certification, he received a significant raise that reflected his new responsibilities.
- The company announced that annual raises would be frozen this year due to the unexpected downturn in the global market.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.