rate1

Syllabification: (rate)

Pronunciation: /rāt/

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Definition of rate

noun

1a measure, quantity, or frequency, typically one measured against some other quantity or measure:the crime rate rose by 26 percent
the speed with which something moves, happens, or changes:your heart rate

2a fixed price paid or charged for something, especially goods or services:the basic rate of pay advertising rates
the amount of a charge or payment expressed as a percentage of some other amount, or as a basis of calculation:you’ll find our current interest rate very competitive
(usually rates) (in the UK) a tax on land and buildings paid to the local authority by a business, and formerly also by occupants of private property.

verb

1 [with object] assign a standard or value to (something) according to a particular scale:they were asked to rate their ability at different driving maneuvers [with object and complement]:the hotel, rated four star, had no hot water and no sink plugs
assign a standard, optimal, or limiting rating to (a piece of equipment):its fuel economy is rated at 25 miles a gallon in the city
British assess the value of (a property) for the purpose of levying a local tax.

2 [with object] consider to be of a certain quality, standard, or rank:he rates the company’s stock a “buy.” [with object and complement]:the program has been rated a great success
[no object] be regarded in a specified way:Jeff still rates as one of the nicest people I have ever met
be worthy of; merit:the ambassador rated a bulletproof car and a police escort

Phrases

at any rate: whatever happens or may have happened:for the moment, at any rate, he was safe; used to indicate that one is correcting or clarifying a previous statement or emphasizing a following one:the story, or at any rate, a public version of it, was known and remembered
at this (or that) rate: used to introduce the prediction of a particular unwelcome eventuality should things continue as they are or if a certain assumption is true:at this rate, I won’t have a job to go back to

Origin:

late Middle English (expressing a notion of 'estimated value'): from Old French, from medieval Latin rata (from Latin pro rata parte (or portione) 'according to the proportional share'), from ratus 'reckoned', past participle of reri

rate in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of rate in the British & World English dictionary

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Other

rate1

noun

verb

Phrases

at any rate

at this (or that) rate

Origin:

rate in other Oxford dictionaries

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