v. /el"euh vayt'/ ; adj. /el"euh vayt', -vit/ , v. , elevated, elevating , adj.
v.t.
1. to move or raise to a higher place or position; lift up.
2. to raise to a higher state, rank, or office; exalt; promote: to elevate an archbishop to cardinal.
3. to raise to a higher intellectual or spiritual level: Good poetry may elevate the mind.
4. to raise the spirits; put in high spirits.
5. to raise (the voice) in pitch or volume.
adj.
6. Archaic. raised; elevated.
[ 1490-1500; elevatus lightened, lifted up (ptp. of elevare ), equiv. to e- E- + lev- light + -atus -ATE 1 ]
Syn. 1. lift, hoist. 2. advance, upgrade, dignify. ELEVATE, ENHANCE, EXALT, HEIGHTEN mean to raise or make higher in some respect. To ELEVATE is to raise something up to a higher level, position, or state: to elevate the living standards of a group. To ENHANCE is to add to the attractions or desirability of something: Landscaping enhances the beauty of the grounds. TO EXALT is to raise very high in rank, character, estimation, mood, etc.: A king is exalted above his subjects. TO HEIGHTEN is to increase the strength or intensity: to heighten one's powers of concentration.