class

Universal Words noun, verb, adjective noun in education 1 [C+sing./pl.v.] a group of students who are taught together: We were in the same class at school. * She is the youngest in her class. * He came top of the class. * The whole class was / were told to stay behind after school. 2 [C,U] an occasion when a group of students meets to be taught SYNLESSON: I was late for a class. * See me after class. * She works hard in class (= during the class). * I have a history class at 9 o'clock. 3 [C] (also classes [pl.]) a series of classes on a particular subject SYNCOURSE: I've been taking classes in pottery. * Are you still doing your French evening class? 4 [C+sing./pl.v.] (especially AmE) a group of students who finish their studies at school, college or university in a particular year: the class of 98 in society 5 [C+sing./pl.v.] one of the groups of people in a society that are thought of as being at the same social or economic level: the working / middle / upper class * The party tries to appeal to all classes of society. * the professional classes 6 [U] the way that people are divided into different social and economic groups: differences of class, race or gender * the class system * a society in which class is more important than ability group of people / animals 7 [C] a group of people, animals or things that have similar characteristics or qualities: It was good accommodation for a hotel of this class. * different classes of drugs * Dickens was in a different class from (= was much better than) most of his contemporaries. * As a jazz singer she's in a class of her own (= better than most others). seealsoFIRST-CLASS, HIGH-CLASS, LOW-CLASS, SECOND-CLASS skill / style 8 [U] an elegant quality or a high level of skill that is impressive: She has class all right-she looks like a model. * There's a real touch of class about this team. in train / plane 9 [C] (especially in compounds) each of several different levels of comfort that are available to travellers in a plane, etc: He always travels business class. * The first-class compartment is situated at the front of the train. seealsoSECOND-CLASS, THIRD-CLASS, TOURISTCLASS of university degree 10 [C] (especially in compounds) one of the levels of achievement in a British university degree exam: a first- / second- / third-class degree biology 11 [C] a group into which animals, plants, etc. that have similar characteristics are divided, below a PHYLUM compareFAMILY, GENUS, SPECIES IDIOMS see CHATTERv. verb [VN] [oftenpassive] ~ sb/sth (as sth) put into group to think or decide that sb/sth is a particular type of person or thing: Immigrant workers were classed as aliens. * I wouldn't have classed you as a Shakespeare fan. * One in five people in the country are classed as poor. adjective [onlybeforenoun] (informal) with skill / style very good: a class player / performer * She's a real class act.