rate Meaning & Definition
What Does Rate Mean?
As a noun, rate means The worth of something; value. It is also used to mean The proportional relationship between one amount, value etc. and another. As a verb, it means To assign or be assigned a particular rank or level. As a verb, it means To berate, scold.
Rate at a Glance
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ɹeɪt/ |
| Synonyms | order, merit and range |
| Plural | rates |
| Verb forms | rates, rating, rated |
Rate Definition (Noun)
- The worth of something; value.
- The proportional relationship between one amount, value etc. and another.
At the height of his powers, he was producing pictures at the rate of four a year.
- Speed.
The car was speeding down here at a hell of a rate.
- The relative speed of change or progress.
The rate of production at the factory is skyrocketing.
- The price of (an individual) thing; cost.
He asked quite a rate to take me to the airport.
- A set price or charge for all examples of a given case, commodity, service etc.
Postal rates here are low.
- A wage calculated in relation to a unit of time.
We pay an hourly rate of between $10 – $15 per hour depending on qualifications and experience.
- Any of various taxes, especially those levied by a local authority.
I hardly have enough left every month to pay the rates.
- A class into which ships were assigned based on condition, size etc.; by extension, rank.
This textbook is first-rate.
- Established portion or measure; fixed allowance; ration.
- Order; arrangement.
- Ratification; approval.
- The gain or loss of a timepiece in a unit of time.
daily rate; hourly rate; etc.
Rate as a Verb
- To assign or be assigned a particular rank or level.
She is rated fourth in the country.
- To evaluate or estimate the value of.
They rate his talents highly.
- To consider or regard.
He rated this book brilliant.
- To deserve; to be worth.
The view here hardly rates a mention in the travel guide.
- To determine the limits of safe functioning for a machine or electrical device.
The transformer is rated at 10 watts.
- To evaluate a property's value for the purposes of local taxation.
- To like; to think highly of.
The customers don't rate the new burgers.
- To take action to slow down the pace of the horse one is riding.
- To have position (in a certain class).
She rates among the most excellent chefs in the world.
- To have value or standing.
This last performance of hers didn't rate very high with the judges.
- To ratify.
- To ascertain the exact rate of the gain or loss of (a chronometer) as compared with true time.
Verb
- To berate, scold.
Verb
- To cause (hay, hemp, flax, etc) to decay (whether in an injurious way, or—as retting—in a useful way) by exposure to weather, particularly wetness.
Synonyms of Rate
Rate synonyms and antonyms →Rate in a Sentence
At the height of his powers, he was producing pictures at the rate of four a year.
The car was speeding down here at a hell of a rate.
The rate of production at the factory is skyrocketing.
He asked quite a rate to take me to the airport.
Postal rates here are low.
We pay an hourly rate of between $10 – $15 per hour depending on qualifications and experience.
I hardly have enough left every month to pay the rates.
This textbook is first-rate.
daily rate; hourly rate; etc.
She is rated fourth in the country.
They rate his talents highly.
He rated this book brilliant.
The view here hardly rates a mention in the travel guide.
The transformer is rated at 10 watts.
The customers don't rate the new burgers.
She rates among the most excellent chefs in the world.
He rates as the best cyclist in the country.
This last performance of hers didn't rate very high with the judges.
Word Forms & Grammar
rate (countable and uncountable, plural rates)
rate (third-person singular simple present rates, present participle rating, simple past and past participle rated)
Words That Rhyme With Rate
Origin of Rate
Origin 1: From Middle English rate, from Old French rate, from Medieval Latin rata, from Latin prō ratā parte (“according to a fixed part”), from ratus (“fixed”), from rērī (“think, deem, judge, estimate", originally "reckon, calculate”).
Origin 2: From Middle English raten (“to scold, chide”), from Old Norse hrata (“to refuse, reject, slight, find fault with”), from Proto-Germanic *hratōną (“to sway, shake”), from Proto-Indo-European *krad- (“to swing”). Cognate with Swedish rata (“to reject, refuse, find fault, slight”), Norwegian rata (“to reject, cast aside”), Old English hratian (“to rush, hasten”).
Origin 3: Related to, or a variant of, ret. (Found dialectally also as rait.)
Frequently Asked Questions About Rate
Is rate a noun or a verb?
Rate is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for rate?
You can replace rate with words such as order, merit and range. See the full list of rate synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of rate?
The plural of rate is rates.
What is the past tense of rate?
The past tense of rate is rated. The present participle is rating.