"Raise" or "Rise"

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Dear all

Please see the sentence given below from Dan Brown’s book Da Vinci Code.(Page: 175)

1- Langdon felt his arms raise instinctively for the ceiling.

Shouldn’t it be rise?

Tom

2

Hi, Tom
Material about rise and raise was posted by Alan. Though a little bit
Raise is a transitive verb
Rise intransitive
Ex. The sun rises
I raised my hand for giving an answer

3

But in your sentence I’d agree with you because hands were not raised by a man but were risen instinctively by themselves(I expressed myself not in so correct way.I’d say a bit rudely :smiley: )

4

Hi Tom

I’d feel most comfortable with “raise”, although this seems to be a bit of a borderline case.

The verb “raise” is typically used with hands/arms. “Rise” would be pretty rare. The phrase “for the ceiling” adds a sense of intention, despite the use of “instinctively” in the same sentence. So maybe you could look at the sentence this way:

Langdon felt his arms raise (themselves) instinctively for the ceiling.

Also, if the verb “rise” had been used, I’d have preferred “rise toward the ceiling”. “For” doesn’t work.

Amy

5

Dear A my

I did understand your point of view but the difference is too confusing here…raise with no object at all!And then your being comfortable about it–the latter part was more hurtful. :smiley:

Could you please give me a few more examples about the same use where raise is used like rise?Thanks

Tom

6

Hi Tom

That’s why I wrote this sentence. You should look at “themselves” as the (understood) object.

Amy

7

Hi Tom,

Let’s just agree that raise has an object and rise doesn’t. It’s the same pattern as lie and lay.

You raise (put up/lift up)your eyebrows/arms/legs/hopes/aspirations and whatever and as a result eyebrows/arms/legs/hopes/aspirations rise(go up).

Likewise you lay (place down) your hands on the table and as a result your hands lie(are lying)(are there horizontal) on the table.

Alan