raise hell

Variant of raise

raise definition

raise (rāz)

transitive verb raised, raising rais′·ing

    1. to cause to rise; move to a higher level; lift; elevate
    2. to bring to or place in an upright position
  1. to construct or erect (a building, etc.)
    1. to wake from sleep
    2. to stir up; arouse; incite to raise a revolt
  2. to increase in size, value, amount, etc. to raise prices
  3. to increase in degree, intensity, strength, etc. to raise one's voice
  4. to improve the position, rank, or situation of to raise oneself from poverty
  5. to cause to arise, appear, come, etc.; esp., to bring back as from death; reanimate to raise the dead
  6. to cause to come about; provoke; inspire the joke raised a laugh
  7. to bring forward for consideration to raise a question
  8. to collect, gather, or procure (an army, money, etc.)
  9. to utter (a cry, shout, etc.)
  10. to bring to an end; remove to raise a siege
  11. to cause to become light; leaven (bread, etc.)
    1. to cause to grow or to breed to raise corn or cattle
    2. to bring up or rear (children)
  12. to establish radio communication with
  13. to cause (a blister) to form
  14. to make (a nap on cloth) with teasels, etc.
  15. Commerce to increase by fraud the face value of (a check, etc.)
  16. Naut. to cause (land, another ship, etc.) to seem to rise over the horizon by approaching it; come within sight of
  17. Bridge to increase (one's partner's bid in a suit or in no-trump)
  18. Phonet. to change the sound of (a vowel) by putting the tongue in a higher position
  19. Poker to bet more than (the highest preceding bet or bettor)

Etymology: ME raisen < ON reisa, caus. of risa, to rise

intransitive verb

  1. Dialectal to rise or arise
  2. Poker to increase the bet

noun

  1. an act of raising
    1. an increase in amount
    2. ☆ an increase in salary or wages, or in a bet
raise Idioms

raise Cain

or raise the devil or raise hell or raise a rumpus or raise the roof
Slang to create a disturbance; cause trouble

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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