Dictionary entries for 'grade'

Synonyms

grade (grād)

[French, from Latin gradus.]

noun

A stage or degree in a process.
A position in a scale of size, quality, or intensity: a poor grade of lumber.
An accepted level or standard.
A set of persons or things all falling in the same specified limits; a class.
1. A level of academic development in an elementary, middle, or secondary school: learned fractions in the fourth grade.
2. A group of students at such a level: The third grade has recess at 10:30.
3. grades. Elementary school.
A number, letter, or symbol indicating a student's level of accomplishment: a passing grade in history.
A military, naval, or civil service rank.
The degree of inclination of a slope, road, or other surface: the steep grade of the mountain road.
A slope or gradual inclination, especially of a road or railroad track: slowed the truck when he approached the grade.
The level at which the ground surface meets the foundation of a building.
A domestic animal produced by crossbreeding one of purebred stock with one of ordinary stock.
Linguistics A degree of ablaut.

To arrange in steps or degrees.
To arrange in a series or according to a scale.
1. To determine the quality of (academic work, for example); evaluate: graded the book reports.
2. To give a grade to (a student, for example).
To level or smooth to a desired or horizontal gradient: bulldozers graded the road.
To gradate.
To improve the quality of (livestock) by crossbreeding with purebred stock.

To hold a certain rank or position.
To change or progress gradually: piles of gravel that grade from coarse to fine.