Entry Word: grade

Function: noun

Meaning: 1 an individual part of a process, series, or ranking <just one grade removed from completion> — see degree 1
2 degree of excellence <only motor oil of the highest grade for his fancy sports car> — see quality 1
3 one of the units into which a whole is divided on the basis of a common characteristic <there are various grades of wool to consider when selecting a fabric> — see class 2
4 something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared <that painting just doesn't make the grade> — see standard 1
5 the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon <the hill rises at a seven percent grade> — see slant