Grade definitions

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

GRADE, n. [L. gradus, a step. gradior, to step to go, rota. We observe further that the Latin gradior forms gressus, by a common change of d to s; Heb. to descend.]
1. A degree or rank in order or dignity, civil,military or ecclesiastical.
While questions, periods, and grades and privileges are never once formally discussed.
2. A step or degree in any ascending series; as crimes of every grade.
When we come to examine the intermediate grades.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a body of students who are taught together; "early morning classes are always sleepy" [syn: class, form, grade, course]
2: a relative position or degree of value in a graded group; "lumber of the highest grade" [syn: grade, level, tier]
3: the gradient of a slope or road or other surface; "the road had a steep grade"
4: one-hundredth of a right angle [syn: grad, grade]
5: a degree of ablaut [syn: grade, gradation]
6: a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance); "she made good marks in algebra"; "grade A milk"; "what was your score on your homework?" [syn: mark, grade, score]
7: the height of the ground on which something stands; "the base of the tower was below grade" [syn: grade, ground level]
8: a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality; "a moderate grade of intelligence"; "a high level of care is required"; "it is all a matter of degree" [syn: degree, grade, level]
9: a variety of cattle produced by crossbreeding with a superior breed v
1: assign a rank or rating to; "how would you rank these students?"; "The restaurant is rated highly in the food guide" [syn: rate, rank, range, order, grade, place]
2: level to the right gradient
3: assign a grade or rank to, according to one's evaluation; "grade tests"; "score the SAT essays"; "mark homework" [syn: grade, score, mark]
4: determine the grade of or assign a grade to

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Latin gradus step, degree, from Latin gradi to step, go; akin to Lithuanian gridyti to go, wander Date: 1526 1. a. (1) a position in a scale of ranks or qualities (2) a stage in a process b. a degree of severity in illness <grade III carcinoma> c. a class organized for the work of a particular year of a school course d. a military or naval rank 2. a. a class of things of the same stage or degree b. a mark indicating a degree of accomplishment in school c. a standard of food quality 3. a. the degree of inclination of a road or slope; also a sloping road b. a datum or reference level; especially ground level 4. a domestic animal with one parent purebred and the other of inferior breeding 5. plural the elementary school system • gradeless adjective II. verb (graded; grading) Date: 1659 transitive verb 1. a. to arrange in grades ; sort b. to arrange in a scale or series c. to assign to a grade or assign a grade to 2. to level off to a smooth horizontal or sloping surface intransitive verb 1. a. to form a series b. blend 2. to be of a particular grade • gradable adjective III. adjective Date: 1852 being, involving, or yielding domestic animals of improved but not pure stock <grade ewes> <grade breeding>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a a certain degree in rank, merit, proficiency, quality, etc. b a class of persons or things of the same grade. 2 a a mark indicating the quality of a student's work. b an examination, esp. in music. 3 US a class in school, concerned with a particular year's work and usu. numbered from the first upwards. 4 a a gradient or slope. b the rate of ascent or descent. 5 a a variety of cattle produced by crossing native stock with a superior breed. b a group of animals at a similar level of development. 6 Philol. a relative position in a series of forms involving ablaut. --v. 1 tr. arrange in or allocate to grades; class, sort. 2 intr. (foll. by up, down, off, into, etc.) pass gradually between grades, or into a grade. 3 tr. give a grade to (a student). 4 tr. blend so as to affect the grade of colour with tints passing into each other. 5 tr. reduce (a road etc.) to easy gradients. 6 tr. (often foll. by up) cross (livestock) with a better breed. Phrases and idioms: at grade US on the same level. grade crossing US = level crossing. grade school US elementary school. make the grade colloq. succeed; reach the desired standard. Etymology: F grade or L gradus step

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Grade Grade, n. [F. grade, L. gradus step, pace, grade, from gradi to step, go. Cf. Congress, Degree, Gradus.] 1. A step or degree in any series, rank, quality, order; relative position or standing; as, grades of military rank; crimes of every grade; grades of flour. They also appointed and removed, at their own pleasure, teachers of every grade. --Buckle. 2. In a railroad or highway: (a) The rate of ascent or descent; gradient; deviation from a level surface to an inclined plane; -- usually stated as so many feet per mile, or as one foot rise or fall in so many of horizontal distance; as, a heavy grade; a grade of twenty feet per mile, or of 1 in 264. (b) A graded ascending, descending, or level portion of a road; a gradient. 3. (Stock Breeding) The result of crossing a native stock with some better breed. If the crossbreed have more than three fourths of the better blood, it is called high grade. At grade, on the same level; -- said of the crossing of a railroad with another railroad or a highway, when they are on the same level at the point of crossing. Down grade, a descent, as on a graded railroad. Up grade, an ascent, as on a graded railroad. Equating for grades. See under Equate. Grade crossing, a crossing at grade.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Grade Grade, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Graded; p. pr. & vb. n. Grading.] 1. To arrange in order, steps, or degrees, according to size, quality, rank, etc. 2. To reduce to a level, or to an evenly progressive ascent, as the line of a canal or road. 3. (Stock Breeding) To cross with some better breed; to improve the blood of.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Grade Grade, n. A harsh scraping or cutting; a grating. The grade of hatchets fiercely thrown. On wigwam log, and tree, and stone. --Whittier.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(grades, grading, graded) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. If something is graded, its quality is judged, and it is often given a number or a name that indicates how good or bad it is. Dust masks are graded according to the protection they offer... South Point College does not grade the students' work. ...a three-tier grading system. VERB: be V-ed, V n, V-ing 2. The grade of a product is its quality, especially when this has been officially judged. ...a good grade of plywood. ...a grade II listed building. N-COUNT: with supp, oft adj N, N num • Grade is also a combining form. ...weapons-grade plutonium. ...aviation fuel and high-grade oil. COMB in ADJ 3. Your grade in an examination or piece of written work is the mark you get, usually in the form of a letter or number, that indicates your level of achievement. What grade are you hoping to get?... There was a lot of pressure on you to obtain good grades. N-COUNT: with supp, oft adj N, N num 4. Your grade in a company or organization is your level of importance or your rank. Staff turnover is particularly high among junior grades. N-COUNT: with supp 5. In the United States, a grade is a group of classes in which all the children are of a similar age. When you are six years old you go into the first grade and you leave school after the twelfth grade. Mr White teaches first grade in south Georgia. N-COUNT: usu with supp, oft ord N 6. A grade is a slope. (AM; in BRIT, use gradient) She drove up a steep grade and then began the long descent into the desert. N-COUNT 7. Someone's grade is their military rank. (AM) I was a naval officer, lieutenant junior grade. N-COUNT 8. If someone makes the grade, they succeed, especially by reaching a particular standard. She had a strong desire to be a dancer but failed to make the grade. PHRASE: V inflects

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Rank, degree, step, stage. 2. Gradient, rate of ascent or of descent (as on a railroad).

Moby Thesaurus

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