Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

house-raising

American  
[haus-ray-zing] / ˈhaʊsˌreɪ zɪŋ /

noun

  1. a gathering of persons in a rural community to help one of its members build a house.


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.

See Examples For:

“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

My hiding-place on a granite crag allowed me a good view of the work,—the cutting and transportation of the little logs, the dam-building, and the house-raising.

From Wild Life on the Rockies by Enos Abijah Mills

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 William James Edwards

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com