rate1

 
Pronunciation: /reɪt/

noun

  • 1a measure, quantity, or frequency, typically one measured against another quantity or measure: the island has the lowest crime rate in the world buying up sites at a rate of one a month
  • the speed with which something moves or happens: the band is shedding vocalists at an alarming rate your heart rate
  • 2a fixed price paid or charged for something: a £3.40 minimum hourly rate of pay advertising rates
  • the amount of a charge or payment expressed as a percentage of another amount, or as a basis of calculation: you’ll find our current interest rate very competitive
  • (rates) (in the UK) a tax on commercial land and buildings paid to a local authority; (in Northern Ireland and formerly in the UK) a tax levied on 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 manoeuvres [with object and complement]: the hotel, rated four star, had no hot water
  • [with object and adverbial] assign a standard, optimal, or limiting rating to (a piece of equipment): the average life of the new bulb is rated at approximately 500 hours
  • (in the UK) assess the value of (a property) for the purpose of levying a local tax.
  • 2 [with object and adverbial] consider to be of a certain quality or standard: Atkinson rates him as Europe’s top defender [with object and complement]: the program has been rated a great success
  • [no object, with adverbial] be regarded in a specified way: Jeff still rates as one of the nicest people I have ever met
  • [with object] informal have a high opinion of: Mike certainly rated her, goodness knows why
  • [with object] 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 clarify or emphasize a statement: the story, or at any rate, a public version of it, was known and remembered

at this (or that) rate

if matters continue in this or that way: at this rate, I won’t have a job to go back to

rate of return

the annual income from an investment expressed as a proportion (usually a percentage) of the original investment.

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