RATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does rate mean? 

• RATE (noun)
  The noun RATE has 4 senses:

1. a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

2. amount of a charge or payment relative to some basis

3. the relative speed of progress or change

4. a quantity or amount or measure considered as a proportion of another quantity or amount or measure

  Familiarity information: RATE used as a noun is uncommon.

• RATE (verb)
  The verb RATE has 3 senses:

1. assign a rank or rating to

2. be worthy of or have a certain rating

3. estimate the value of

  Familiarity information: RATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RATE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Context example:

the rate of change was faster than expected

Hypernyms ("rate" is a kind of...):

magnitude relation; quantitative relation (a relation between magnitudes)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rate"):

kc; kHz; kilocycle; kilocycle per second; kilohertz (one thousand periods per second)

cps; cycle; cycle per second; cycles/second; hertz; Hz (the unit of frequency; one hertz has a periodic interval of one second (named for Heinrich Rudolph Hertz))

kilometers per hour; kilometres per hour; km/h; kph (the ratio of the distance traveled (in kilometers) to the time spent traveling (in hours))

Mc; megacycle; megacycle per second; megahertz; MHz (one million periods per second)

terahertz; THz (one trillion periods per second)

metabolic rate (rate of metabolism; the amount of energy expended in a give period)

miles per hour; mph (the ratio of the distance traveled (in miles) to the time spent traveling (in hours))

gait; pace (the rate of moving (especially walking or running))

heart rate; pulse; pulse rate (the rate at which the heart beats; usually measured to obtain a quick evaluation of a person's health)

rate of return (the amount returned per unit of time expressed as a percentage of the cost)

rate of respiration; respiratory rate (the rate at which a person inhales and exhales; usually measured to obtain a quick evaluation of a person's health)

rev; revolutions per minute; rpm (rate of revolution of a motor)

sampling rate ((telecommunication) the frequency of sampling per unit time)

solar constant (the rate at which radiant solar energy is received at the outer layer of the earth's atmosphere)

spacing (the time between occurrences of a repeating event)

speed; velocity (distance travelled per unit time)

pace; tempo (the rate of some repeating event)

words per minute; wpm (the rate at which words are produced (as in speaking or typing))

jerk ((mechanics) the rate of change of acceleration)

acceleration ((physics) a rate of increase of velocity)

deceleration ((physics) a rate of decrease in velocity)

attrition rate; rate of attrition (the rate of shrinkage in size or number)

birth rate; birthrate; fertility; fertility rate; natality (the ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 population per year)

bits per second; bps ((computer science) the rate at which data is transferred (as by a modem))

crime rate (the ratio of crimes in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 population per year)

data rate (the rate at which circuits or other devices operate when handling digital information)

death rate; deathrate; fatality rate; mortality; mortality rate (the ratio of deaths in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 per year)

erythrocyte sedimentation rate; ESR; sed rate; sedimentation rate (the rate at which red blood cells settle out in a tube of blood under standardized conditions; a high rate usually indicates the presence of inflammation)

flow; flow rate; rate of flow (the amount of fluid that flows in a given time)

flux (the rate of flow of energy or particles across a given surface)

frequence; frequency; oftenness (the number of occurrences within a given time period)

Gc; GHz; gigacycle; gigacycle per second; gigahertz (1,000,000,000 periods per second)

growth rate; rate of growth (the rate of increase in size per unit time)

inflation rate; rate of inflation (the rate of change of prices (as indicated by a price index) calculated on a monthly or annual basis)

knot ((of ships and wind) a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour or about 1.15 statute miles per hour)

dose rate (the quantity of radiation absorbed per unit time)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Amount of a charge or payment relative to some basis

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Synonyms:

charge per unit; rate

Context example:

a 10-minute phone call at that rate would cost $5

Hypernyms ("rate" is a kind of...):

charge (the price charged for some article or service)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rate"):

excursion rate (a reduced rate for a round-trip ticket)

room rate (the rate charged daily for a hotel room)

linage; lineage (a rate of payment for written material that is measured according to the number of lines submitted)

footage (a rate of charging by the linear foot of work done)

exchange rate; rate of exchange (the charge for exchanging currency of one country for currency of another)

depreciation rate; rate of depreciation (the rate at which the value of property is reduced; used to calculate tax deduction)

freight; freight rate; freightage (the charge for transporting something by common carrier)

interest rate; rate of interest (the percentage of a sum of money charged for its use)

tax rate (rate used to calculate tax liability)

installment rate; payment rate; rate of payment; repayment rate (the amount of money paid out per unit time)

pay rate; rate of pay (amount of money received per unit time)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The relative speed of progress or change

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

pace; rate

Context example:

the pace of events accelerated

Hypernyms ("rate" is a kind of...):

temporal property (a property relating to time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rate"):

beat (a regular rate of repetition)

celerity; quickness; rapidity; rapidness; speediness (a rate that is rapid)

deliberateness; deliberation; slowness; unhurriedness (a rate demonstrating an absence of haste or hurry)

sluggishness (the pace of things that move relatively slowly)

fastness; speed; swiftness (a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A quantity or amount or measure considered as a proportion of another quantity or amount or measure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Context example:

the dropout rate

Hypernyms ("rate" is a kind of...):

proportion (the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is divided by the magnitude of the whole)

• RATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they rate    ... he / she / it rates   
Past simple: rated   
Past participle: rated   
-ing form: rating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Assign a rank or rating to

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

grade; order; place; range; rank; rate

Context example:

The restaurant is rated highly in the food guide

Hypernyms (to "rate" is one way to...):

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "rate"):

superordinate (place in a superior order or rank)

upgrade (rate higher; raise in value or esteem)

downgrade (rate lower; lower in value or esteem)

sequence (arrange in a sequence)

prioritise; prioritize (assign a priority to)

subordinate (rank or order as less important or consider of less value)

reorder (assign a new order to)

seed (distribute (players or teams) so that outstanding teams or players will not meet in the early rounds)

shortlist (put someone or something on a short list)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue rate the movie

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be worthy of or have a certain rating

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

This bond rates highly

Hypernyms (to "rate" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frames:

Something ----s Adjective/Noun
Something ----s something

Derivation:

rating (standing or position on a scale)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Estimate the value of

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

rate; value

Context example:

Gold was rated highly among the Romans

Hypernyms (to "rate" is one way to...):

appraise; assess; evaluate; measure; valuate; value (evaluate or estimate the nature, quality, ability, extent, or significance of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "rate"):

revalue (value anew)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

rating (act of ascertaining or fixing the value or worth of)

rating (an appraisal of the value of something)

 Context examples 

His conscience was clean at any rate.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I thought, at any rate, that I should call you and give you the chance.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

At any rate, you know it now.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I am sure his sisters, rating him as they do, must have thought it so, supposing he had meant nothing.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

At any rate, it was a lie.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

After beating about the bush a little, he said suddenly:—Friend John, there is something that you and I must talk of alone, just at the first at any rate.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Another gene, CLE33, reduces colonization rates when there is plenty of phosphate available to the plant.

(Plant gene discovery could help reduce fertilizer pollution in waterways, National Science Foundation)

A small study from 2016 in people with mild to moderate dementia found an association between gum disease and higher rates of cognitive decline.

(New Link Found between Alzheimer's & Gum Disease Bacteria, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

“Poor child!” cried Emma; “at that rate, what will become of her?”

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I should have visited Admiral Croft, however, at any rate.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)