rate

¹

[ reyt ]

noun

1. the amount of a charge or payment with reference to some basis of calculation:

   a high rate of interest on loans.

2. a certain quantity or amount of one thing considered in relation to a unit of another thing and used as a standard or measure:

   at the rate of 60 miles an hour.

3. a fixed charge per unit of quantity:

   a rate of 10 cents a pound.

4. price; cost:

   to cut rates on all home furnishings.

5. degree of speed, progress, etc.:

   to work at a rapid rate.

   Synonyms: tempo, pace

6. degree or comparative extent of action or procedure:

   the rate of increase in work output.

7. relative condition or quality; grade, class, or sort.
8. assigned position in any of a series of graded classes; rating.
9. Insurance. the premium charge per unit of insurance.
10. a charge by a common carrier for transportation, sometimes including certain services involved in rendering such transportation.
11. a wage paid on a specified time basis:

    a salary figured on an hourly rate.

12. a charge or price established in accordance with a scale or standard:

    hotel rates based on length of stay.

13. Horology. the relative adherence of a timepiece to perfect timekeeping, measured in terms of the amount of time gained or lost within a certain period.
14. Usually rates. British.
    1. a tax on property for some local purpose.
    2. any tax assessed and paid to a local government, as any city tax or district tax.

verb (used with object)

, rat·ed, rat·ing.

1. to estimate the value or worth of; appraise:

   to rate a student's class performance.

   Synonyms: measure, classify, rank

2. to esteem, consider, or account:

   He was rated one of the best writers around.

3. to fix at a certain rate, as of charge or payment.
4. to value for purposes of taxation or the like.
5. to make subject to the payment of a certain rate or tax.
6. to place in a certain rank, class, etc., as a ship or a sailor; give a specific rating to.
7. to be considered or treated as worthy of; merit:

   an event that doesn't even rate a mention in most histories of the period.

8. to arrange for the conveyance of (goods) at a certain rate.

verb (used without object)

, rat·ed, rat·ing.

1. to have value, standing, etc.:

   a performance that didn't rate very high in the competition.

2. to have position in a certain class.
3. to rank very high in estimation:

   The new teacher really rates with our class.

rate

²

[ reyt ]

verb (used with or without object)

, rat·ed, rat·ing.

1. to chide vehemently; scold.

rate

¹

/ reɪt /

noun

1. a quantity or amount considered in relation to or measured against another quantity or amount

   a rate of 70 miles an hour

2. 1. a price or charge with reference to a standard or scale

      rate of interest

      rate of discount

   2. ( as modifier )

      a rate card

3. a charge made per unit for a commodity, service, etc
4. See rates
5. the relative speed of progress or change of something variable; pace

   the rate of production has doubled

   he works at a great rate

6. 1. relative quality; class or grade
   2. ( in combination )

      first-rate ideas

7. statistics a measure of the frequency of occurrence of a given event, such as births and deaths, usually expressed as the number of times the event occurs for every thousand of the total population considered
8. a wage calculated against a unit of time
9. the amount of gain or loss of a timepiece
10. at any rate
    in any case; at all events; anyway

verb

1. also intr to assign or receive a position on a scale of relative values; rank

   he is rated fifth in the world

2. to estimate the value of; evaluate

   we rate your services highly

3. to be worthy of; deserve

   this hotel does not rate four stars

4. to consider; regard

   I rate him among my friends

5. to assess the value of (property) for the purpose of local taxation
6. slang.
   to think highly of

   the clients do not rate the new system

rate

²

/ reɪt /

verb

1. tr to scold or criticize severely; rebuke harshly

Other Words From

• rater noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rate¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English noun rate “monetary amount, value, estimated amount, proportional part,” from Old French rate and Medieval Latin rata, from Latin (prō) ratā (parte) “(according to) an estimated (part),” ratā ablative singular of rata, feminine of ratus, past participle of rērī “to judge”; verb derivative of the noun

Origin of rate²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English raten, araten; further origin uncertain; perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Swedish, Norwegian rata “to reject, cast aside”; or from Old French rateir, raiter, reter “to find fault with, blame”

Word History and Origins

Origin of rate¹

C15: from Old French, from Medieval Latin rata , from Latin prō ratā parte according to a fixed proportion, from ratus fixed, from rērī to think, decide

Origin of rate²

C14: perhaps related to Swedish rata to chide

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at any rate,
   1. in any event; in any case.
   2. at least:

      It was a mediocre film, but at any rate there was one outstanding individual performance.

More idioms and phrases containing rate

see at any rate ; at this rate ; x-rated .

Example Sentences

Breathing patterns and emotional state are difficult to untangle -- if anxiety increases or decreases, so does the breathing rate.

From Science Daily

"Here, it helped guide us to think about how the cell density, proliferation rate, signaling, and all these different things conspire."

From Science Daily

Listeners rated these sounds as extremely chilling and frightening.

From Science Daily

Their labor is for the most part barely compensated, at rates far below minimum wage.

From Los Angeles Times

The Conservatives have accused the government of "stoking inflation", after price rises hit their highest rate for six months.

From BBC

Related Words

• appraise
• assess
• calculate
• consider
• count
• deem
• determine
• estimate
• evaluate
• grade
• peg
• rank
• regard
• score