grade

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 the quality of a particular product or material: All the materials used were of the highest grade. 2 a level of ability or rank that sb has in an organization: salary grades (= levels of pay) * She's still only on a secretarial grade. 3 a mark given in an exam or for a piece of school work: (BrE) She got good grades in her exams. * (AmE) She got good grades on her exams. * 70% of pupils got Grade C or above. 4 (in the US school system) one of the levels in a school with children of similar age: Sam is in (the) second grade. 5 (technical) how serious an illness is: low / high grade fever 6 (especially AmE) = GRADIENT 7 (BrE) a level of exam in musical skill: grade 6 piano IDIOMS make the grade (informal) to reach the necessary standard; to succeed: About 10% of trainees fail to make the grade. verb 1 ~ sth/sb (by / according to sth)