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Lift vs. Raise — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Lift and Raise

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Definitions

Lift

To direct or carry from a lower to a higher position; raise
Lift one's eyes.
Lifted the suitcase.

Raise

To move to a higher position; elevate
Raised the loads with a crane.

Lift

To transport by air
The helicopter lifted the entire team to the meet.

Raise

To set in an upright or erect position
Raise a flagpole.

Lift

To revoke by taking back; rescind
Lifted the embargo.
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Raise

To erect or build
Raise a new building.

Lift

To bring an end to (a blockade or siege) by removing forces.

Raise

To cause to arise, appear, or exist
The slap raised a welt.

Lift

To cease (artillery fire) in an area.

Raise

To increase in size, quantity, or worth
Raise an employee's salary.
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Lift

To raise in condition, rank, or esteem
Work that lifted her in the eyes of her colleagues.

Raise

To increase in intensity, degree, strength, or pitch
Raised his voice.

Lift

To uplift; elate
Your telephone call really lifted my spirits.

Raise

To improve in rank or dignity; promote
Raised her to management level.

Lift

To remove (plants) from the ground for transplanting.

Raise

To grow, especially in quantity; cultivate
Raise corn and soybeans.

Lift

To project or sound in loud, clear tones
Lifted their voices in song.

Raise

To breed and care for to maturity
Raise cattle.

Lift

(Informal) To steal; pilfer
A thief lifted my wallet.

Raise

To bring up; rear
Raise children.

Lift

(Informal) To copy from something already published; plagiarize
Lifted whole paragraphs from the encyclopedia.

Raise

To accustom to something from an early age
"a post-World War II generation raised on shopping malls and multiplex cinemas" (Gustav Niebuhr).

Lift

To pay off or clear (a debt or mortgage, for example).

Raise

To put forward for consideration
Raised an important question. See Synonyms at broach1.

Lift

To perform cosmetic surgery on (the face, for example), especially in order to remove wrinkles or sagging skin.

Raise

To voice; utter
Raise a shout.

Lift

(Sports) To hit (a golf ball) very high into the air.

Raise

To awaken; arouse
Noise that would raise the dead.

Lift

To pick up (a golf ball) to place it in a better lie.

Raise

To stir up; instigate
Raise a revolt.

Lift

To shoot or flip (a puck) so that it rises sharply off the ice.

Raise

To bring about; provoke
Remarks intended to raise a laugh.

Lift

To rise; ascend.

Raise

To make contact with by radio
Couldn't raise the control tower after midnight.

Lift

To yield to upward pressure
These windows lift easily.

Raise

To gather together; collect
Raise money from the neighbors for a charity.

Lift

To disappear or disperse by or as if by rising
By afternoon the smog had lifted.

Raise

To cause (dough) to puff up.

Lift

To stop temporarily
The rain lifted by morning.

Raise

To end (a siege) by withdrawing troops or forcing the enemy troops to withdraw.

Lift

To become elevated; soar
Their spirits lifted when help came.

Raise

To remove or withdraw (an order).

Lift

The act or process of rising or raising to a higher position.

Raise

To increase (a poker bet).

Lift

Power or force available for raising
The lift of a pump.

Raise

To bet more than (a preceding bettor in poker).

Lift

An organized effort or a flight transporting supplies or people by airplane; an airlift.

Raise

To increase the bid of (one's bridge partner).

Lift

The extent or height to which something is raised or rises; the amount of elevation.

Raise

(Nautical) To bring into sight by approaching nearer
Raised the Cape.

Lift

The distance or space through which something is raised or rises.

Raise

To alter and increase fraudulently the written value of (a check, for example).

Lift

A rise or an elevation in the level of the ground.

Raise

To cough up (phlegm).

Lift

An elevation of the spirits
The good news gave us a lift.

Raise

(Scots) To make angry; enrage.

Lift

A raised, high, or erect position, as of a part of the body
The lift of his chin.

Raise

To increase a poker bet or a bridge bid.

Lift

A machine or device designed to pick up, raise, or carry something.

Raise

The act of raising or increasing.

Lift

One of the layers of leather, rubber, or other material making up the heel of a shoe.

Raise

An increase in salary.

Lift

Chiefly British A passenger or cargo elevator.

Raise

(physical) To cause to rise; to lift or elevate.
To raise your hand if you want to say something; to raise your walking stick to defend yourself

Lift

A ride in a vehicle given to help someone reach a destination
Gave my friend a lift into town.

Raise

To form by the accumulation of materials or constituent parts; to build up; to erect.
To raise a wall, or a heap of stones

Lift

Assistance or help
Gave her a lift with her heavy packages.

Raise

To cause something to come to the surface of water.
The ship was raised ten years after it had sunk.

Lift

A set of pumps used in a mine.

Raise

(nautical) To cause (the land or any other object) to seem higher by drawing nearer to it.
To raise Sandy Hook light

Lift

The component of the total aerodynamic force acting on an airfoil or on an entire aircraft or winged missile perpendicular to the relative wind and normally exerted in an upward direction, opposing the pull of gravity.

Raise

To make (bread, etc.) light, as by yeast or leaven.

Lift

(ambitransitive) To raise or rise.
The fog eventually lifted, leaving the streets clear.
You never lift a finger to help me!

Raise

(figurative) To cause (a dead person) to live again; to resurrect.
The magic spell raised the dead from their graves!

Lift

To steal.

Raise

(military) 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.

Lift

To source directly without acknowledgement; to plagiarise.

Raise

To relinquish (a siege), or cause this to be done.

Lift

To arrest (a person).

Raise

(transitive) To create, increase or develop.
We need to raise the motivation level in the company.
To raise the quality of the products; to raise the price of goods; to raise (increase) taxes

Lift

(transitive) To remove (a ban, restriction, etc.).

Raise

To collect or amass.
To raise a lot of money for charity; to raise troops

Lift

(transitive) To alleviate, to lighten (pressure, tension, stress, etc.)

Raise

(obsolete) To call up the forces of, to raise the troops from.

Lift

(transitive) to cause to move upwards.

Raise

To bring up; to grow.
We visited a farm where they raise chickens.
Chew with your mouth shut — were you raised in a barn?

Lift

To lift weights; to weight-lift.
She lifts twice a week at the gym.

Raise

To promote.
To raise somebody to office

Lift

To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing.

Raise

To mention (a question, issue) for discussion.
A few important questions were raised after the attack.

Lift

To elevate or improve in rank, condition, etc.; often with up.

Raise

(legal) To create; to constitute (a use, or a beneficial interest in property).
There should be some consideration (i.e., payment or exchange) to raise a use.

Lift

(obsolete) To bear; to support.

Raise

To bring into being; to produce; to cause to arise, come forth, or appear.
Starting in January we will raise (introduce) taxes on all tobacco substitutes and vaping accessories.

Lift

To collect, as moneys due; to raise.

Raise

To establish contact with (e.g., by telephone or radio).
Despite all the call congestion, she was eventually able to raise the police.

Lift

(programming) To transform (a function) into a corresponding function in a different context.

Raise

To respond to a bet by increasing the amount required to continue in the hand.
John bet, and Julie raised, requiring John to put in more money.

Lift

(finance) To buy a security or other asset previously offered for sale.

Raise

(arithmetic) To exponentiate, to involute.
Two raised to the fifth power equals 32.

Lift

To take (hounds) off the existing scent and move them to another spot.

Raise

To extract (a subject or other verb argument) out of an inner clause.

Lift

An act of lifting or raising.

Raise

To produce a vowel with the tongue positioned closer to the roof of the mouth.

Lift

The act of transporting someone in a vehicle; a ride; a trip.
He gave me a lift to the bus station.

Raise

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.

Lift

Mechanical device for vertically transporting goods or people between floors in a building.
Take the lift to the fourth floor.

Raise

To instantiate and transmit (an exception, by throwing it, or an event).
A division by zero will raise an exception.

Lift

An upward force, such as the force that keeps aircraft aloft.

Raise

To open, initiate.
I will raise a trouble-ticket in order to correct this reporting issue.

Lift

(measurement) The difference in elevation between the upper pool and lower pool of a waterway, separated by lock.

Raise

(US) pay raise: an increase in wages or salary.
The boss gave me a raise.

Lift

A thief.

Raise

(weightlifting) A shoulder exercise in which the arms are elevated against resistance.

Lift

(dance) The lifting of a dance partner into the air.

Raise

(curling) A shot in which the delivered stone bumps another stone forward.

Lift

Permanent construction with a built-in platform that is lifted vertically.

Raise

(poker) A bet that increases the previous bet.

Lift

(figurative) An improvement in mood.

Raise

A cairn or pile of stones.

Lift

The amount or weight to be lifted.
What's the maximum lift of this crane?

Raise

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.

Lift

The space or distance through which anything is lifted.

Raise

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.
The plate pieces of eight were raised three pence in the piece.

Lift

A rise; a degree of elevation.
The lift of a lock in canals

Raise

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.

Lift

A liftgate.

Raise

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.

Lift

(nautical) A rope leading from the masthead to the extremity of a yard below, and used for raising or supporting the end of the yard.

Raise

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.

Lift

(engineering) One of the steps of a cone pulley.

Raise

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.

Lift

(shoemaking) A layer of leather in the heel of a shoe.

Raise

To elevate in degree according to some scale; as, to raise the pitch of the voice; to raise the temperature of a room.

Lift

(horology) That portion of the vibration of a balance during which the impulse is given.

Raise

To rouse to action; to stir up; to incite to tumult, struggle, or war; to excite.
He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind.
Æneas . . . employs his pains,In parts remote, to raise the Tuscan swains.

Lift

Air.

Raise

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.

Lift

The sky; the heavens; firmament; atmosphere.

Raise

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.

Lift

The sky; the atmosphere; the firmament.

Raise

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 ?

Lift

Act of lifting; also, that which is lifted.

Raise

To bring together; to collect; to levy; to get together or obtain for use or service; as, to raise money, troops, and the like.

Lift

The space or distance through which anything is lifted; as, a long lift.

Raise

To cause (the land or any other object) to seem higher by drawing nearer to it; as, to raise Sandy Hook light.

Lift

Help; assistance, as by lifting.
The goat gives the fox a lift.

Raise

To cause to grow; to procure to be produced, bred, or propagated; to grow; as, to raise corn, barley, hops, etc.; toraise cattle.
I was raised, as they say in Virginia, among the mountains of the North.

Lift

That by means of which a person or thing lifts or is lifted

Raise

To create or constitute; as, to raise a use, that is, to create it.

Lift

A rise; a degree of elevation; as, the lift of a lock in canals.

Raise

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.
God vouchsafes to raise another worldFrom him [Noah], and all his anger to forget.

Lift

A lift gate. See Lift gate, below.

Raise

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.

Lift

A rope leading from the masthead to the extremity of a yard below; - used for raising or supporting the end of the yard.

Raise

To give vent or utterance to; to utter; to strike up.
Soon as the prince appears, they raise a cry.

Lift

One of the steps of a cone pulley.

Raise

To bring to notice; to submit for consideration; as, to raise a point of order; to raise an objection.

Lift

A layer of leather in the heel.

Raise

The amount a salary is increased;
He got a 3% raise
He got a wage hike

Lift

That portion of the vibration of a balance during which the impulse is given.

Raise

An upward slope or grade (as in a road);
The car couldn't make it up the rise

Lift

A brightening of the spirits; encouragement; as, the campaign workers got a lift from the President's endorsement.

Raise

Increasing the size of a bet (as in poker);
I'll see your raise and double it

Lift

To move in a direction opposite to that of gravitation; to raise; to elevate; to bring up from a lower place to a higher; to upheave; sometimes implying a continued support or holding in the higher place; - said of material things; as, to lift the foot or the hand; to lift a chair or a burden.

Raise

The act of raising something;
He responded with a lift of his eyebrow
Fireman learn several different raises for getting ladders up

Lift

To raise, elevate, exalt, improve, in rank, condition, estimation, character, etc.; - often with up.
The Roman virtues lift up mortal man.
Lest, being lifted up with pride.

Raise

Raise the level or amount of something;
Raise my salary
Raise the price of bread

Lift

To bear; to support.

Raise

Raise from a lower to a higher position;
Raise your hands
Lift a load

Lift

To collect, as moneys due; to raise.

Raise

Cause to be heard or known; express or utter;
Raise a shout
Raise a protest
Raise a sad cry

Lift

To steal; to carry off by theft (esp. cattle); as, to lift a drove of cattle.
He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered.

Raise

Collect funds for a specific purpose;
The President raised several million dollars for his college

Lift

To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing.
Strained by lifting at a weight too heavy.

Raise

Cultivate by growing, often involving improvements by means of agricultural techniques;
The Bordeaux region produces great red wines
They produce good ham in Parma
We grow wheat here
We raise hogs here

Lift

To rise; to become or appear raised or elevated; as, the fog lifts; the land lifts to a ship approaching it.

Raise

Bring up;
Raise a family
Bring up children

Lift

To steal; also, to live by theft.

Raise

Evoke or call forth, with or as if by magic;
Raise the specter of unemployment
He conjured wild birds in the air
Stir a disturbance
Call down the spirits from the mountain

Lift

The act of giving temporary assistance

Raise

Move upwards;
Lift one's eyes

Lift

The component of the aerodynamic forces acting on an airfoil that opposes gravity

Raise

Construct, build, or erect;
Raise a barn

Lift

The event of something being raised upward;
An elevation of the temperature in the afternoon
A raising of the land resulting from volcanic activity

Raise

Call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses);
Arouse pity
Raise a smile
Evoke sympathy

Lift

A wave that lifts the surface of the water or ground

Raise

Create a disturbance, especially by making a great noise;
Raise hell
Raise the roof
Raise Cain

Lift

A powered conveyance that carries skiers up a hill

Raise

Raise in rank or condition;
The new law lifted many people from poverty

Lift

A device worn in a shoe or boot to make the wearer look taller or to correct a shortened leg

Raise

Increase;
This will enhance your enjoyment
Heighten the tension

Lift

One of the layers forming the heel of a shoe or boot

Raise

Give a promotion to or assign to a higher position;
John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired
Women tend not to advance in the major law firms
I got promoted after many years of hard work

Lift

Lifting device consisting of a platform or cage that is raised and lowered mechanically in a vertical shaft in order to move people from one floor to another in a building

Raise

Cause to puff up with a leaven;
Unleavened bread

Lift

Plastic surgery to remove wrinkles and other signs of aging from your face; an incision is made near the hair line and skin is pulled back and excess tissue is excised;
Some actresses have more than one face lift

Raise

In bridge: bid (one's partner's suit) at a higher level

Lift

Transportation of people or goods by air (especially when other means of access are unavailable)

Raise

Bet more than the previous player

Lift

A ride in a car;
He gave me a lift home

Raise

Cause to assemble or enlist in the military;
Raise an army
Recruit new soldiers

Lift

The act of raising something;
He responded with a lift of his eyebrow
Fireman learn several different raises for getting ladders up

Raise

Put forward for consideration or discussion;
Raise the question of promotions
Bring up an unpleasant topic

Lift

Raise from a lower to a higher position;
Raise your hands
Lift a load

Raise

Pronounce (vowels) by bringing the tongue closer to the roof of the mouth;
Raise your `o'

Lift

Take hold of something and move it to a different location;
Lift the box onto the table

Raise

Activate or stir up;
Raise a mutiny

Lift

Move upwards;
Lift one's eyes

Raise

Establish radio communications with;
They managed to raise Hanoi last night

Lift

Move upward;
The fog lifted
The smoke arose from the forest fire
The mist uprose from the meadows

Raise

Multiply (a number) by itself a specified number of times: 8 is 2 raised to the power 3

Lift

Make audible;
He lifted a war whoop

Raise

Bring (a surface, a design, etc.) into relief and cause to project;
Raised edges

Lift

Annul by recalling or rescinding;
He revoked the ban on smoking
Lift an embargo
Vacate a death sentence

Raise

Invigorate or heighten;
Lift my spirits
Lift his ego

Lift

Make off with belongings of others

Raise

Put an end to;
Lift a ban
Raise a siege

Lift

Raise or haul up with or as if with mechanical help;
Hoist the bicycle onto the roof of the car

Raise

Cause to become alive again;
Raise from the dead
Slavery is already dead, and cannot be resurrected
Upraising ghosts

Lift

Invigorate or heighten;
Lift my spirits
Lift his ego

Lift

Raise in rank or condition;
The new law lifted many people from poverty

Lift

Take off or away by decreasing;
Lift the pressure

Lift

Rise up;
The building rose before them

Lift

Pay off (a mortgage)

Lift

Take without referencing from someone else's writing or speech; of intellectual property

Lift

Take illegally;
Rustle cattle

Lift

Fly people or goods to or from places not accessible by other means;
Food is airlifted into Bosnia

Lift

Take (root crops) out of the ground;
Lift potatoes

Lift

Call to stop the hunt or to retire, as of hunting dogs

Lift

Rise upward, as from pressure or moisture;
The floor is lifting slowly

Lift

Put an end to;
Lift a ban
Raise a siege

Lift

Remove (hair) by scalping

Lift

Remove from a seedbed or from a nursery;
Lift the tulip bulbs

Lift

Remove from a surface;
The detective carefully lifted some fingerprints from the table

Lift

Perform cosmetic surgery on someone's face

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