# raise

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɹeɪz/ · frequency rank #1,836

## Definitions
1. To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.
2. To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.
3. To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.
4. To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.
5. To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.
6. To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.
7. To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.
8. To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.
9. To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.
10. To create, increase or develop.
11. To create, increase or develop.
12. To create, increase or develop.
13. To create, increase or develop.
14. To create, increase or develop.
15. To create, increase or develop.
16. To create, increase or develop.
17. To create, increase or develop.
18. To establish contact with (e.g., by telephone or radio).
19. To respond to a bet by increasing the amount required to continue in the hand.
20. To exponentiate, to involute.
21. To extract (a subject or other verb argument) out of an inner clause.
22. To produce a vowel with the tongue positioned closer to the roof of the mouth.
23. To increase the nominal value of (a cheque, money order, etc.) by fraudulently changing the writing or printing in which the sum payable is specified.
24. To instantiate and transmit (an exception, by throwing it, or an event).
25. To open, initiate.
26. Misspelling of raze.

## Etymology
From Middle English reysen, raisen, reisen, from Old Norse reisa (“to raise”), from Proto-Germanic *raisijaną, *raizijaną (“to raise”), causative form of Proto-Germanic *rīsaną (“to rise”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rey- (“to rise, arise”). According to Kroonen (2013), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃er- (“to stir, rise”).
Cognate with Old English rāsian (“to explore, examine, research”), Old English rīsan (“to seize, carry off”), Old English rǣran (“to raise”). Doublet of rear.

## Easily confused with
- **ras** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-ras)
- **rate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rate)
- **risk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-risk)
- **ride** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-ride)
- **rose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rose)
- **rise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rise)
- **rare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rare)
- **rice** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rice)
- **rape** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rape)
- **rats** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rats)
- **rays** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rays)
- **rams** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rams)
- **rash** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rash)
- **ripe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-ripe)
- **rite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rite)
- **rave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rave)
- **rake** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rake)
- **ruse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-ruse)
- **rife** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rife)
- **rasa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/raise-vs-rasa)

## Common misspellings (5)
`raies`, `raisse`, `rasie`, `riase`, `rraise`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/raise