Also 6 ellevate, eleuate. [f. L. ēlevāt- ppl. stem of ēlevāre, f. ē out + levā-re (related to levis light) to render light, lighten, hence, to lift, raise.]
† I. 1. trans. To lighten, lessen the weight of; to depreciate, extenuate. Obs.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helth, II. xxi. (1541), 35 a. Custome from chyldhode doth eleuate the power of meates and drynkes in their disposition.
c. 1570. Thynne, Pride & Lowl. (1841), 5. Cato … dooth their credit ellevate, As thing whereof but small regard he tooke.
1609. Holland, Livy, XLIV. xliv. 1199 b. [The Consul] forgat not to elevate as much as he could, the fame of the foresaid unhappie field.
1624. Bp. Mountagu, Gagg, 94. To avoide or elevate the censure of the church … [they] procured letters deprecatory.
1788. V. Knox, Winter Even., II. V. xii. 195. Instead of exalting our idea of the Deity they elevate or lower it.
II. To raise, lift up.
2. To raise above the usual position, or above the level of surrounding objects. Also fig.
1497. Bp. Alcock, Mons Perfect., C j 20/2. Obedyence … openeth heuens it eleuatith a man fro the erth dweller with angels.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 449. This first picture of the Ichneumon was taken by Bellonius, except the backe be too much eleuated.
1797. M. Baillie, Morb. Anat. (1807), 61. Unless the head … be more or less elevated from the horizontal posture.
1830. J. G. Strutt, Sylva Brit., 4. The character … of the Oak is rather to extend its arms, than elevate its head.
1858. Lardner, Handbk. Nat. Phil., 109. The rope by which the bucket is elevated.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 186. The land in the Bay of Concepcion had been elevated to the extent of four or five feet.
b. To hold up to view. Now only with reference to the Mass: To lift up (the Host) for the adoration of the people.
1637. Gillespie, Eng.-Pop. Cerem., III. ii. 32. When the hoste is elevated in the celebration of the Masse.
1649. J. Kent, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 295, III. 341–2. A rogue of a minister, after his head was severed from his sacred body, elevated it publicly to the people.
1660. R. Coke, Power & Subj., 243. She [the Queen] had forbidden the Archbishop … to elevate the Host for adoration.
† c. To rear or raise (by building). Obs.
1798. Ferriar, Eng. Historians, 243. On the northern side of the choir, was elevated one of those lofty, conical towers.
† d. of the action of heat: To raise in the form of vapor; to evaporate or sublime. Obs.
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glass, 14 b. The vamping fumes that the Sun eleuates from bogges and fennish grounds.
1665–9. Boyle, Occas. Refl., IV. xii. (1675), 240. The Sun has by its … Beams elevated this Water in the form of Vapours. Ibid. (1667), Orig. Formes & Qual. These volatile particles of Gold, with the Salts wherewith they were elevated.
1715. [see ELEVATED 1 b].
3. transf. To raise (the voice).
1618. Rowlands, Sacred Mem., 30. But they the more do eleuate their voyce.
1816. [See ELEVATED ppl. a. 2.]
Mod. It is unnecessary to elevate your voice.
4. To raise in direction, direct upwards.
a. To raise (one’s eyes), direct (glances) upwards; fig. to ‘lift up’ (one’s hopes, thoughts) to a higher object.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., V. ii. 82. One Eye declin’d for the losse of her Husband, another eleuated, that the Oracle was fulfill’d.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. IV. iv. 143. The English now elevated their hopes to the recovery of the province.
b. Gunnery. To raise the axis of (a gun, etc.) to an angle with the horizon.
1692. in Capt. Smith’s Seaman’s Gram., II. xxi. 134. Put in your Bullet with a Wad after it, if the Piece be not elevated.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Hh b, The mortar must be more elevated.
1859. F. A. Griffiths, Artil. Man. (1862), 112. No. 2 searches, sponges, rams home, elevates.
5. To raise, exalt in rank or status.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XXVII. xix. For riche mennes goodes I muste ofte translate, Unto the poore, them for to elevate.
1606. Warner, Alb. Eng., XIV. lxxxv. (1612), 351. Nathak, who, eleuated, altered from vertuous to most vaine.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 56, ¶ 2. Footmen, Fiddlers, and Lacqueys, are elevated into Companions in this present Age. Ibid. (1713), Englishman, No. 2. 10. We like nothing but what will … elevate us above our Neighbours.
1835. Lytton, Rienzi, I. I. i. 8. See what liberty exists in Rome, when we, the patricians, thus elevate a plebeian!
† b. To extol or magnify (in praise). Obs.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge (1848), 48. With reverence hym elevate.
6. To raise in a moral or intellectual sense.
1624. Gataker, Transubst., 89. To eleuate our minde by faith.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 79, ¶ 9. Choose Books which elevate the Mind above the World.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., II. xxiii. 77. You might as well set Mount Ætna on them flat, and tell them to stand up under it, as tell me to elevate my servants with all the superincumbent mass of society upon them.
a. 1867. Buckle, Misc. Wks. (1872), I. 63. There is hardly any virtue which so elevates our character, as moral courage.
1883. H. Drummond, Nat. Law in Spir. W., iii. (1884), 98. The attempt to elevate the race has been mysteriously thwarted.
7. To elate, exhilarate. Somewhat rare in mod. use.
1634. Malory’s Arthur (1816), I. 173. I was so elevated … in my heart.
1709. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), VI. 483. Being elevated by the terror he had struck into the enemy … [he] resolved to advance and fight them.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 34. He seemed extremely pleased at this, and even elevated.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. IV. ii. 77. The French, elevated by this advantage, reinforced their victorious party.
b. spec. of the effects of liquor. Now humorous or slang.
a. 1704. T. Brown, Wks. (1760), II. 194 (D.). We were all elevated above the use of our legs, as well as our reason.
1763. Brit. Mag., IV. 372. I, being elevated with liquor.
1816. ‘Quiz,’ Grand Master, VIII. 230. But with the jumping-powder heated, He got completely—elevated.
1844. Dickens, Mart. Chuz., ix. (C. D. ed.), 94. His depth of feeling is misunderstood. He is supposed to be a little elevated; and nobody heeds him.
