v. ele·vat·ed, ele·vat·ing, ele·vates v.tr. ele·vat·ed, ele·vat·ing, ele·vates 1. To move (something) to a higher place or position from a lower one; lift. See Synonyms at lift. 2. To increase the amount or intensity of: factors that elevate blood pressure. 3. To promote to a higher rank. 4. To raise to a higher moral, cultural, or intellectual level: elevate the tone of the debate. 5. To lift the spirits of; elate. v.intr. Baseball To throw a high pitch, usually a fastball, after a series of lower pitches, especially in an attempt to get a strikeout. [Middle English elevaten, from Latin ēlevāre, ēlevāt- : ē-, ex-, up; see EX- + levāre, to raise; see legwh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.