elevation
    n 1: the event of something being raised upward; "an elevation
         of the temperature in the afternoon"; "a raising of the
         land resulting from volcanic activity" [syn: elevation,
         lift, raising]
    2: the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of
       development; "his landscapes were deemed the acme of beauty";
       "the artist's gifts are at their acme"; "at the height of her
       career"; "the peak of perfection"; "summer was at its peak";
       "...catapulted Einstein to the pinnacle of fame"; "the summit
       of his ambition"; "so many highest superlatives achieved by
       man"; "at the top of his profession" [syn: acme, height,
       elevation, peak, pinnacle, summit, superlative,
       meridian, tiptop, top]
    3: angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial
       object) [syn: elevation, EL, altitude, ALT]
    4: a raised or elevated geological formation [syn: natural
       elevation, elevation] [ant: depression, natural
       depression]
    5: distance of something above a reference point (such as sea
       level); "there was snow at the higher elevations"
    6: (ballet) the height of a dancer's leap or jump; "a dancer of
       exceptional elevation"
    7: drawing of an exterior of a structure
    8: the act of increasing the wealth or prestige or power or
       scope of something; "the aggrandizement of the king"; "his
       elevation to cardinal" [syn: aggrandizement,
       aggrandisement, elevation]

Elevation \El`e*va"tion\, n. [L. elevatio: cf. F.
   ['e]l['e]vation.]
   1. The act of raising from a lower place, condition, or
      quality to a higher; -- said of material things, persons,
      the mind, the voice, etc.; as, the elevation of grain;
      elevation to a throne; elevation of mind, thoughts, or
      character.
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   2. Condition of being elevated; height; exaltation. "Degrees
      of elevation above us." --Locke.
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            His style . . . wanted a little elevation. --Sir H.
                                                  Wotton.
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   3. That which is raised up or elevated; an elevated place or
      station; as, an elevation of the ground; a hill.
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   4. (Astron.) The distance of a celestial object above the
      horizon, or the arc of a vertical circle intercepted
      between it and the horizon; altitude; as, the elevation of
      the pole, or of a star.
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   5. (Dialing) The angle which the style makes with the
      substylar line.
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   6. (Gunnery) The movement of the axis of a piece in a
      vertical plane; also, the angle of elevation, that is, the
      angle between the axis of the piece and the line o? sight;
      -- distinguished from direction.
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   7. (Drawing) A geometrical projection of a building, or other
      object, on a plane perpendicular to the horizon;
      orthographic projection on a vertical plane; -- called by
      the ancients the orthography.
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   Angle of elevation (Geodesy), the angle which an ascending
      line makes with a horizontal plane.

   Elevation of the host (R. C. Ch.), that part of the Mass in
      which the priest raises the host above his head for the
      people to adore.
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