[up.grade] n (1873) 1: an upward grade or slope
2: increase, rise
[2]up.grade vt (1901): to raise or improve the grade of: as a: to improve (livestock) by use of purebred sires b: to advance to a job requiring a higher level of skill esp. as part of a training program c: to raise the quality of d: to raise the classification and usu. the price of (a product) without improving the quality e: to extend the usefulness of (as a device)