From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Rate \Rate\ (r[=a]t), v. t. & i. [Perh. fr. E. rate, v. t., to
value at a certain rate, to estimate, but more prob. fr. Sw.
rata to find fault, to blame, to despise, to hold cheap; cf.
Icel. hrat refuse, hrati rubbish.]
To chide with vehemence; to scold; to censure violently; to
berate. --Spenser.
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Go, rate thy minions, proud, insulting boy! --Shak.
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Conscience is a check to beginners in sin, reclaiming
them from it, and rating them for it. --Barrow.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Rate \Rate\, v. i.
1. To be set or considered in a class; to have rank; as, the
ship rates as a ship of the line.
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2. To make an estimate.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Rate \Rate\, n. [OF., fr. L. rata (sc. pars), fr. ratus
reckoned, fixed by calculation, p. p. of reri to reckon, to
calculate. Cf. Reason.]
1. Established portion or measure; fixed allowance.
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The one right feeble through the evil rate
Of food which in her duress she had found.
--Spenser.
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2. That which is established as a measure or criterion;
degree; standard; rank; proportion; ratio; as, a slow rate
of movement; rate of interest is the ratio of the interest
to the principal, per annum.
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Heretofore the rate and standard of wit was
different from what it is nowadays. --South.
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In this did his holiness and godliness appear above
the rate and pitch of other men's, in that he was so
. . . merciful. --Calamy.
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Many of the horse could not march at that rate, nor
come up soon enough. --Clarendon.
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3. Valuation; price fixed with relation to a standard; cost;
charge; as, high or low rates of transportation.
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They come at dear rates from Japan. --Locke.
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4. A tax or sum assessed by authority on property for public
use, according to its income or value; esp., in England, a
local tax; as, parish rates; town rates.
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5. Order; arrangement. [Obs.]
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Thus sat they all around in seemly rate. --Spenser.
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6. Ratification; approval. [R.] --Chapman.
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7. (Horol.) The gain or loss of a timepiece in a unit of
time; as, daily rate; hourly rate; etc.
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8. (Naut.)
(a) The order or class to which a war vessel belongs,
determined according to its size, armament, etc.; as,
first rate, second rate, etc.
(b) The class of a merchant vessel for marine insurance,
determined by its relative safety as a risk, as A1,
A2, etc.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Rate \Rate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Rating.]
1. To set a certain estimate on; to value at a certain price
or degree.
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To rate a man by the nature of his companions is a
rule frequent indeed, but not infallible. --South.
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You seem not high enough your joys to rate.
--Dryden.
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2. To assess for the payment of a rate or tax.
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3. To settle the relative scale, rank, position, amount,
value, or quality of; as, to rate a ship; to rate a
seaman; to rate a pension.
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4. To ratify. [Obs.] "To rate the truce." --Chapman.
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To rate a chronometer, to ascertain the exact rate of its
gain or loss as compared with true time, so as to make an
allowance or computation dependent thereon.
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Syn: To value; appraise; estimate; reckon.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
rate
n 1: a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit; "they
traveled at a rate of 55 miles per hour"; "the rate of
change was faster than expected"
2: amount of a charge or payment relative to some basis; "a
10-minute phone call at that rate would cost $5" [syn:
rate, charge per unit]
3: the relative speed of progress or change; "he lived at a fast
pace"; "he works at a great rate"; "the pace of events
accelerated" [syn: pace, rate]
4: a quantity or amount or measure considered as a proportion of
another quantity or amount or measure; "the literacy rate";
"the retention rate"; "the dropout rate"
v 1: assign a rank or rating to; "how would you rank these
students?"; "The restaurant is rated highly in the food
guide" [syn: rate, rank, range, order, grade,
place]
2: be worthy of or have a certain rating; "This bond rates
highly"
3: estimate the value of; "How would you rate his chances to
become President?"; "Gold was rated highly among the Romans"
[syn: rate, value]