grad

n., [ L. gradatio: cf. F. gradation. See Grade. ] 1. The act of progressing by regular steps or orderly arrangement; the state of being graded or arranged in ranks; as, the gradation of castes. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act or process of bringing to a certain grade. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any degree or relative position in an order or series. [ 1913 Webster ]

The several gradations of the intelligent universe. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Fine Arts) A gradual passing from one tint to another or from a darker to a lighter shade, as in painting or drawing. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Mus.) A diatonic ascending or descending succession of chords. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To form with gradations. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. By regular steps or gradations; of or pertaining to gradation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. LL. gradatarium. ] (Arch.) A series of steps from a cloister into a church. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Grade. ] 1. Proceeding step by step, or by gradations; gradual. [ 1913 Webster ]

Could we have seen [ Macbeth's ] crimes darkening on their progress . . . could this gradatory apostasy have been shown us. A. Seward. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Suitable for walking; -- said of the limbs of an animal when adapted for walking on land. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. grade, L. gradus step, pace, grade, from gradi to step, go. Cf. Congress, Degree, Gradus. ] 1. A step or degree in any series, rank, quality, order; relative position or standing; as, grades of military rank; crimes of every grade; grades of flour. [ 1913 Webster ]

They also appointed and removed, at their own pleasure,
teachers of every grade. Buckle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In a railroad or highway: (a) The rate of ascent or descent; gradient; deviation from a level surface to an inclined plane; -- usually stated as so many feet per mile, or as one foot rise or fall in so many of horizontal distance; as, a heavy grade; a grade of twenty feet per mile, or of 1 in 264. (b) A graded ascending, descending, or level portion of a road; a gradient. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Stock Breeding) The result of crossing a native stock with some better breed. If the crossbreed have more than three fourths of the better blood, it is called high grade. [ 1913 Webster ]

At grade, on the same level; -- said of the crossing of a railroad with another railroad or a highway, when they are on the same level at the point of crossing. --
Down grade, a descent, as on a graded railroad. --
Up grade, an ascent, as on a graded railroad. --
Equating for grades. See under Equate. --
Grade crossing, a crossing at grade. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Graded; p. pr. & vb. n. Grading. ] 1. To arrange in order, steps, or degrees, according to size, quality, rank, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To reduce to a level, or to an evenly progressive ascent, as the line of a canal or road. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Stock Breeding) To cross with some better breed; to improve the blood of. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. ordered by some quantitative ranking; as, Reading tests of graded difficulty.
Syn. -- ordered, ranked. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. leveled and drained but not paved; -- of roads.
Syn. -- graveled. [ WordNet 1.5 ]