grade

[[t]greɪd[/t]]

n. v. grad•ed, grad•ing

1) a degree or step in a scale, as of rank, advancement, quality, value, or intensity

2) a class of persons or things of the same relative rank, quality, etc

3) a step or stage in a course or process

4) edu a single division of a school classified, usu. by year

5) edu the pupils in such a division

6) edu grades, elementary school (usu. prec. by the)

7) edu a letter, number, or other symbol indicating the relative quality of a student's work; mark

8) coo a classification or standard of food based on quality, size, etc.:

grade A milk[/ex]

9) civ rai trs inclination with the horizontal of a road, railroad, etc.; slope

10) bui the level at which the ground intersects the foundation of a building

11) ahb. an animal resulting from a cross between a parent of ordinary stock and one of a pure breed

12) to arrange in a series of grades; class; sort:

a machine that grades eggs[/ex]

13) to determine the grade of

14) edu to assign a grade to (a student's work); mark

15) to cause to pass by degrees, as from one color or shade to another

16) civ to reduce to a level or to practicable degrees of inclination:

to grade a road[/ex]

17) ahb. to cross (an ordinary or low-grade animal) with an animal of a pure or superior breed

18) to incline; slant or slope

19) to be of a particular grade or quality

20) to pass by degrees, as from one color or shade to another; blend

•

- at grade make the grade up to grade

Etymology: 1505–15; < F: office < L gradus step, stage, degree, der. of gradī to go, step, walk grad′a•ble, adj.