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grade
This word carries a strong sense of hierarchy and stratification. It transforms a raw quality into a categorized value, whether that is a student's intellect, the purity of a diamond, or the slope of a hill. It implies a standard of measurement has been applied to create a ranking.
In academic settings, it is the primary currency of achievement, often carrying a heavy emotional weight. In industrial or geological contexts, it shifts toward a technical description of material composition or physical incline, removing the judgmental quality associated with schooling.
Countable when referring to a specific score or a school year (a third grade). Uncountable when referring to the general slope of a road or the overall quality level of a material.
Meanings
A mark indicating the quality of a student's performance.
She received a high grade on her history essay.
A particular level of quality, rank, or size of a product.
This is a high grade of olive oil.
Examples
She earned a passing grade on her final exam.
This lumber is a premium grade of cedar.
The truck struggled to climb the steep grade of the hill.
The teacher will grade the essays over the weekend.
The machine helps grade the apples by size.
Phrasal Verbs
grade up
to improve the quality or rank of something to a higher level
The company decided to grade up their raw materials to meet international standards.