house-raising
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of house-raising
An Americanism dating back to 1695–1705
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“They framed the whole house, and the garage, in three days. Thirty journeymen framers. Because of her,” said Koerner, his voice breaking as he recalled the house-raising that began in mid-July.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2025
Burritt’s firm got into house-raising around then—one of many outfits that saw an opportunity in the stimulus that followed Sandy.
From Slate
It was just like an old-fashioned house-raising bee, except that it took place in the age of the assembly line and the publicity man.
From Time Magazine Archive
![]()
When we got ready to put up a new building, we would have what we called a house-raising and would invite all the men in the neighborhood to come out and help us.
From Twenty-Five Years in the Black Belt by Edwards, William James
He was reputed to have used it as one many a time at a house-raising.
From Madelon A Novel by Freeman, Mary Eleanor Wilkins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.