rate

RAYT/ɹeɪt/

Pluralrates

Verbrates, rating, rated

22 meanings of rate

Practice

1
proportionnouncountable or uncountable
How much of one thing there is compared to another amount.
Like saying how many cookies each child gets when you share a box.
The exchange rate tells you how many dollars you get for one euro.
The school has a low dropout rate of about two percent.
UsageSay the exchange rate or at the rate of two a day.
Note
2
nouncountable or uncountable
How fast something moves, happens, or changes.
Like how quickly a balloon fills up with air.
The rate of change in the weather surprised everyone.
Plants grow at a faster rate in warm, sunny weather.
UsageSay plants grow at a fast rate.
Similarpace, speed, velocity
3
nouncountable or uncountable
The price charged or paid for something, such as a service or an hour of work.
Like a menu where every haircut costs the same price, no matter who you are.
The hotel offers a special rate for guests who stay a whole week.
Phone companies charge a flat rate for calls within the country.
UsageSay an hourly rate or a flat rate.
Similarcharge, fee, price, tariff
4
verbtransitive
To judge how good someone or something is, or to place them at a certain level.
Like giving a movie a number of stars to show how good it is.
Judges rate each performance on a scale from one to ten.
Teachers rate students' essays using clear guidelines.
UsageSay rate something highly, or be rated five stars.
Similarrank, grade, consider, judge, assess
5
verbtransitive
To judge or estimate how much something is worth.
Like guessing how much money a toy is worth before you sell it.
Experts rate the painting at over a million dollars.
The shop owner rated the old coin carefully before buying it.
Similarevaluate, assess, appraise, value, estimate
Note
6
classnouncountable or uncountable
A class or rank given to a ship based on its size and condition.
Like sorting cars into groups by size, from small ones up to the biggest.
In the old navy, a ship of the first rate carried more than a hundred guns.
Older ships often dropped to a lower rate as they aged.
UsageSay a ship of the first rate.
Similarclass, rank
Note

Less common meanings

7
machine limitsverbtransitive
To set the safe working limits of a machine or electrical device.
Like the line on a bucket that shows how full you can safely fill it.
Engineers rate the cable for up to a thousand volts.
This extension cord is rated for fifteen amps.
UsageSay rated at 500 watts or rated for fifteen amps.
8
nounobsoletecountable or uncountable
How much something is worth.
There shall no figure at such rate be set, / As that of true and faithfull Iuliet.
c. 1591, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”Here, rate means worth or value.
His natural parts were not of the first rate, but he had greatly improved them by a learned education.
1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones
Note
9
local taxnounUKIrelandSouth AfricaAustraliaNew Zealandcountable or uncountable
A tax that people pay to their local town or city government.
Like a fee everyone in town pays so the streets and schools keep running.
Shopkeepers say high business rates are forcing them to close.
Many families struggle to pay their rates each month.
UsageSay pay the rates.
Similartax, levy
Note
10
think highly ofverbcolloquialtransitive
To think that someone or something is very good.
Like having a favorite snack that you always pick first.
I really rate this new pizza place.
My friends rate that singer more than I do.
UsageSay I really rate her cooking.
Similaradmire, respect, like
11
verbintransitive
To be thought of as having a certain level of value or importance.
Like how much your friends value your good advice.
Good manners rate highly in their family.
His advice rates highly with everyone who knows him.
UsageSay rate highly or rate as the best.
Similarrank, count
12
deserveverbtransitive
To deserve something, or to be worth a certain amount.
Like earning a gold star because you did really well.
These results rate a closer look from the whole team.
Her effort rates a mention in the report.
UsageSay it hardly rates a mention.
Similardeserve, merit, warrant
Note
13
clock errornouncountable or uncountable
How much a clock or watch runs fast or slow over a set period of time.
Like checking how many minutes your phone clock drifts away from the right time each week.
This old watch has a rate of two seconds a day.
My watch has a rate of about two seconds fast per day.
Note
14
value for taxverbBritishtransitive
To work out how much local tax a building owner should pay, based on the property's value.
The council will rate the new houses next spring.
The council rated the shop at a higher value, so its local tax went up.
Similarassess, value
Note
15
check clockverbtransitive
To check exactly how fast or slow a clock runs compared with the correct time.
Watchmakers rate each new chronometer before it leaves the shop.
He rated the clock against a radio time signal for a week.
16
slow a horseverbtransitive
To slow down the horse you are riding so it does not get too tired.
Like holding back at the start of a long run so you don't run out of energy.
Good jockeys rate their horses early in a long race.
She rated her mount carefully to save its energy.
Similarrestrain, hold, check
Note
17
nounobsoletecountable or uncountable
A fixed amount or share that is allowed to someone.
The one right feeble through the evil rate / Of food which in her duress she had found.
1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, rate means a set portion or allowance of food.
Note
18
nounobsoletecountable or uncountable
Official approval or agreement to something.
Note
19
nounobsoleteuncountable
The way things are put in order or arranged.
Thus sat they all around in seemly rate.
1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, rate means order, the way things are arranged.
Note
20
verbobsoletetransitive
To shout at or scold someone angrily.
Go, rate thy minions, proud, insulting boy!
c. 1591, William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt,”Here, rate means to scold someone harshly.
Then rated they hym, and sayde: Thou arte hys disciple.
1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt (Tyndale Bible)
Note
21
verbobsoleteUK
To leave hay, flax, or hemp out in wet weather so that it rots.
"Frodingham of Roberte Westabie, for rateing hempe in Skinner Beck, contrairie to paine." - Kirton-in-Lindsey Fine Roll, 1630.
1889, Edward Peacock, A Glossary of Words Used in the Wapentakes of Manley and CorringhamHere, rateing means letting hemp soak and rot in water.
Note
22
verbobsolete
To officially approve or agree to something so it becomes final.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of rate apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–19

From Latin, through French, from a phrase meaning "according to a fixed part." It comes from a word meaning "fixed" or "calculated."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

Rate derives from Latin through French. en.wiktionary.org
Its Latin source is a phrase meaning "according to a fixed part". en.wiktionary.org
The underlying Latin word means "fixed". en.wiktionary.org
The Latin form can also be understood as "calculated". en.wikipedia.org

Meaning 20

From an Old Norse word meaning "to refuse or find fault with." The Middle English form meant "to scold."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Rate derives from an Old Norse word meaning to refuse or find fault with. en.wiktionary.org
The Middle English form meant to scold. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 21

Related to, or a variant of, the word "ret."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

Rate is related to, or a variant of, ret. en.wiktionary.org