a degree or step in a scale, as of rank, advancement, quality, value, or intensity: the best grade of paper.
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.
a single division of a school classified according to the age or progress of the pupils. In the U.S., public schools are commonly divided into twelve grades below college.
5.
the pupils in such a division.
6.
grades, elementary school (usually prec. by the): He first began teaching in the grades.
7.
a letter, number, or other symbol indicating the relative quality of a student's work in a course, examination, or special assignment; mark.
8.
a classification or standard of food based on quality, size, etc.: grade A milk.
9.
inclination with the horizontal of a road, railroad, etc., usually expressed by stating the vertical rise or fall as a percentage of the horizontal distance; slope.
10.
Building Trades. Also called grade line.the level at which the ground intersects the foundation of a building.
11.
an animal resulting from a cross between a parent of ordinary stock and one of a pure breed.
1511, from Fr. grade "grade, degree," from L. gradus "step, degree," replacing M.E. gree "step, degree in a series," from O.Fr. grei "step," from L. gradus, related to gradi "to walk, step, go," from PIE *ghredh- (cf. Lith. gridiju "to go, wander," O.C.S. gredo "to come," O.Ir. in-greinn "he pursues," and second element in congress, progress, etc.). The verb is 1659, from the noun. Railway sense is from 1835. Meaning "division of a school curriculum equivalent to one year" is from 1835; that of "letter-mark indicating assessment of a student's work" is from 1886.
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]
7.
the height of the ground on which something stands; "the base of the tower was below grade"
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]
9.
a variety of cattle produced by crossbreeding with a superior breed
verb
1.
assign a rank or rating to; "how would you rank these students?"; "The restaurant is rated highly in the food guide" [syn: rate]
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"
The degree of inclination of a slope, road, or other surface.
A grouping of organisms done purely on the basis of shared features and without regard to evolutionary relationships. Grades may include organisms that do not share a common ancestor, or may exclude some organisms having the same common ancestor as the other organisms in the grade. For this reason, many taxonomists do not accept grades as formal classifications. The class Reptilia (reptiles) is a grade since it includes dinosaurs but not birds, even though birds are descended from dinosaurs. Compare clade.
Ag*gress"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Aggressed; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggressing.] [L. aggressus, p. p. of aggredi to go to, approach; ad + gradi to step, go, gradus step: cf. OF. aggresser. See Grade.] To commit the first act of hostility or offense; to begin a quarrel or controversy; to make an attack; -- with on.
Con"gress\, n.; pl. Congresses. [L. congressus, fr. congredi, p. p. -gressus, to go or come together; con- + grati to go or step, gradus step: cf. F. congr?s. See Grade.]1. A meeting of individuals, whether friendly or hostile; an encounter. [Obs.] Here Pallas urges on, and Lausus there; Their congress in the field great Jove withstands. --Dryden. 2. A sudden encounter; a collision; a shock; -- said of things. [Obs.] From these laws may be deduced the rules of the congresses and reflections of two bodies. --Cheyne. 3. The coming together of a male and female in sexual commerce; the act of coition. --Pennant. 4. A gathering or assembly; a conference. 5. A formal assembly, as of princes, deputies, representatives, envoys, or commissioners; esp., a meeting of the representatives of several governments or societies to consider and determine matters of common interest. The European powers strove to . . . accommodate their differences at the congress of Vienna. --Alison. 6. The collective body of senators and representatives of the people of a nation, esp. of a republic, constituting the chief legislative body of the nation. Note: In the Congress of the United States (which took the place of the Federal Congress, March 4, 1789), the Senate consists of two Senators from each State, chosen by the State legislature for a term of six years, in such a way that the terms of one third of the whole number expire every year; the House of Representatives consists of members elected by the people of the several Congressional districts, for a term of two years, the term of all ending at the same time. The united body of Senators and Representatives for any term of two years for which the whole body of Representatives is chosen is called one Congress. Thus the session which began in December, 1887, was the first (or long) session, and that which began in December, 1888, was the second (or short) session, of the Fiftieth Congress. When an extra session is had before the date of the first regular meeting of a Congress, that is called the first session, and the following regular session is called the second session. 7. The lower house of the Spanish Cortes, the members of which are elected for three years. The Continental Congress, an assembly of deputies from the thirteen British colonies in America, appointed to deliberate in respect to their common interests. They first met in 1774, and from time thereafter until near the close of the Revolution. The Federal Congress, the assembly of representatives of the original States of the American Union, who met under the Articles of Confederation from 1781 till 1789. Congress boot or gaiter, a high shoe or half-boot, coming above the ankle, and having the sides made in part of some elastic material which stretches to allow the boot to be drawn on and off. [U.S.] Congress water, a saline mineral water from the Congress spring at Saratoga, in the State of New York. Syn: Assembly; meeting; convention; convocation; council; diet; conclave; parliament; legislature.
De*grade"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Degraded; p. pr. & vb. n. Degrading.] [F. d['e]grader, LL. degradare, fr. L. de- + gradus step, degree. See Grade, and cf. Degree.]1. To reduce from a higher to a lower rank or degree; to lower in rank; to deprive of office or dignity; to strip of honors; as, to degrade a nobleman, or a general officer. Prynne was sentenced by the Star Chamber Court to be degraded from the bar. --Palfrey. 2. To reduce in estimation, character, or reputation; to lessen the value of; to lower the physical, moral, or intellectual character of; to debase; to bring shame or contempt upon; to disgrace; as, vice degrades a man. O miserable mankind, to what fall Degraded, to what wretched state reserved! --Milton. Yet time ennobles or degrades each line. --Pope. Her pride . . . struggled hard against this degrading passion. --Macaulay. 3. (Geol.) To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down. Syn: To abase; demean; lower; reduce. See Abase.
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