grade

The definition of a grade is a way of rating the quality, worth, rank or order of things or how well someone performed.

(noun)

Grade is defined as to make something evenly leveled or sloped, or to assign a rating.

(verb)

An example of to grade is removing bumps and filling holes in a road.
An example of to grade is to read student essay and assign a rating from A to F.

See grade in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

any of the stages in an orderly, systematic progression; step; degree
1. a degree or rating in a scale classifying according to quality, rank, worth, intensity, etc.: often in hyphenated compounds: grade A eggs, weapons-grade plutonium
2. any of the official ranks or ratings of officers or enlisted men: an army colonel and a navy captain are in grade O-6
3. an accepted standard or level: up to grade
4. a group of people of the same rank, merit, worth, etc.
☆
1. the degree of rise or descent of a sloping surface, as of a highway, railroad, etc.
2. such a sloping surface
the ground level around a building
☆
1. any of the divisions in a school curriculum usually equal to one year; most systems in the U.S. include twelve grades after the kindergarten
2. a group of pupils forming such a division in a school
☆ a mark or rating on an examination, in a school course, etc.
☆ Animal Husbandry an animal with one parent of pure breed
Linguis. any of the various forms in which a vowel may appear in grammatically or etymologically related forms as a result of gradation

Origin: Fr < L gradus, a step, degree, rank < gradi, to step, walk < IE base *ghredh-, to stride > Goth griths, step

transitive verb graded, grading

to arrange or classify by grades; rate according to quality, rank, worth, etc.; sort
to give a grade (sense ) to
to gradate
☆ to level or slope (ground, a road, etc.) evenly
☆ Animal Husbandry to improve by crossing with a pure breed: often with up

intransitive verb

walking or moving (in a specified manner): plantigrade

Origin: < L gradi, to walk: see grade

See grade in American Heritage Dictionary 4

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.
a. A level of academic development in an elementary, middle, or secondary school: learned fractions in the fourth grade.
b. A group of students at such a level: The third grade has recess at 10:30.
c. 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.

verb grad·ed, grad·ing, grades

verb, transitive

To arrange in steps or degrees.
To arrange in a series or according to a scale.
a. To determine the quality of (academic work, for example); evaluate: graded the book reports.
b. 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.

verb, intransitive