   Raisin’ CainIn Appalachian and Southern speech, "raising Cain" means making trouble, causing a ruckus, or behaving rowdily. You'll often hear people say something close akin to 'he's out there raisin' all kinda Cain!' It comes from the biblical story of Cain, who killed his brother Abel, and has been used in American slang for over 150 years. #SouthernSayings #Appalachia #PeopleandRelationships #Southern Pronunciation[RAY-zin CAYN] Meaning & Usage- To cause trouble or make a disturbance (verb phrase)
Mae:
 What’s all that noise?
Earl:
Just the young’uns raisin’ Cain near the rides.- To act up or behave wildly (verb phrase)
Mae:
Them boys been raisin’ Cain all afternoon.other spellings: raising cain, raisin all kinda cain, and raining all kinds of cain ★ "Raisin’ Cain" is a catch-all phrase - it can mean anything from harmless mischief to real rowdiness, depending on the tone and setting. ★ OriginFrom the biblical Cain, who committed the first murder. By the mid-1800s, Americans were using "raise Cain" as slang for raising you-know-what or causing trouble. It stuck especially strong in Southern and Appalachian speech. NotesStill common in Appalachia and the South. Recognized everywhere in the U.S., but outside the region it sounds old-fashioned or colorful rather than everyday. Say It Like a SouthernerSaid plain: "ray-zin’ cayn." The "g" in "raising" is usually dropped. | ...
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