Crossword Genius

Raise European tax in general (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

elevate

'raise' is the definition.
('elevate' can be a synonym of 'raise')

'european tax in general' is the wordplay.
'european' becomes 'e' (abbreviation e.g. EU).
'tax' becomes 'vat' (British sales tax).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'general' becomes 'lee' (Robert E. Lee - US revolutionary commander).
'vat' put into 'lee' is 'levate'.
'e'+'levate'='ELEVATE'

(Other definitions for elevate that I've seen before include "Uplift" , "Lift - exalt - promote - cheer" , "To raise in level" , "Put on a pedestal" , "Raise up, hold aloft" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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