[grade] n [F, fr. L gradus step, degree, fr. L gradi to step, go; akin to Lith gridyti to go, wander] (1796) 1 a (1): a stage in a process (2): a position in a scale of ranks or qualities b: a degree of severity in illness "~ III carcinoma" c: a class organized for the work of a particular year of a school course d: a military or naval rank
2. a: a class of things of the same stage or degree b: a mark indicating a degree of accomplishment in school c: a standard of food quality 3 a: the degree of inclination of a road or slope; also: a sloping road b: a datum or reference level; esp: ground level
4: a domestic animal with one parent purebred and the other of inferior breeding
5. pl: the elementary school system -- grade.less adj
[2]grade vb grad.ed ; grad.ing vt (1659) 1 a: to arrange in grades: sort b: to arrange in a scale or series c: to assign to a grade or assign a grade to
2: to level off to a smooth horizontal or sloping surface ~ vi 1 a: to form a series b: blend
2: to be of a particular grade -- grad.able adj [3]grade adj (1852): being, involving, or yielding domestic animals of improved but not pure stock "~ ewes" "~ breeding"