elevate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To raise (something) to a higher position.

   The doctor told me elevating my legs would help reduce the swelling.

2. 2
   verb

   To promote (someone) to a higher rank.

   Hard Fate of Greatness, We so highly Elevated Are more expos’d to Censure than the little ones,

3. 3
   verb

   To confer honor or nobility on (someone).

   The traditional worldview elevates man as the pinnacle of creation.

4. 4
   verb

   To make (something or someone) more worthy or of greater value.

   A talented chef can elevate everyday ingredients into gourmet delights.

5. 5
   verb

   To direct (the mind, thoughts, etc.) toward more worthy things.

   […] the devout Christian improves the Blessings he receives of this inferiour World, to elevate his mind above it:

6. 6
   verb

   To increase the intensity or degree of (something).

   Some drugs have the side effect of elevating your blood sugar level.

7. 7
   verb

   To lift the spirits of (someone)

   […] Hope elevates, and joy Bright’ns his Crest,

8. 8
   verb

   To intoxicate in a slight degree; to make (someone) tipsy.

   Steele entertained them till he was tipsy; when the same wine that stupified him, only served to elevate Addison, who took up the ball just as Steele dropt it, and kept it up for the rest of the evening.

Etymology

From Middle English elevaten (“to raise up, erect; to elate, inflate (e.g. with pride); (alchemy) to vaporize; (of a bone, excressence, blood vessel) to protrude”), from elevat(e) (“(in physical elevation, in rank, in altitude above the horizon) high”, also used as the past participle of elevaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), further from Latin ēlevātus, the perfect passive participle of ēlevō (“to raise, lift up”), from ē- (“out”) + levō (“to make light, to lift”), from levis (“light”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix); see levity and lever.