raise the ante
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Increase the price or cost of something, as in We'd hoped to invest in some land, but they've raised the ante and now we can't afford it. This term alludes to the ante or stakes of gambling. [Slang; late 1800s]
QUIZ
ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?
We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.
Question 1 of 8
Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?
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Words nearby raise the ante
raise havoc, raise hell, raise one's hackles, raise one's sights, raise one's voice, raise the ante, raise the curtain, raise the devil, raise the roof, raisin, raising
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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