rate

Multiple Entries:
  rate    ret  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
rate1

▶noun

• 1 a measure, quantity, or frequency: the island has a very low crime rate.

• 2 the speed with which something moves or happens.

• 3 a fixed price paid or charged for something.

• 4 the amount of a charge or payment expressed as a percentage of another amount, or as a basis of calculation.

• 5 (rates) (in the UK) a tax on commercial land and buildings paid to a local authority; (in Northern Ireland and formerly in the UK) a tax on private property.

▶verb

• 1 assign a standard or value to (something) according to a particular scale.

• 2 assign a standard, optimal, or limiting rating to (a piece of equipment).

• 3 consider to be of a certain quality or standard.

  ■ informal have a high opinion of.

  ■ be worthy of; merit.

• 4 (in the UK) assess the value of (a property) for the purpose of levying rates.

– phrases
at any rate whatever happens or may have happened.
at this (or that) rate if things continue in this or that way.

– origin ME: from OFr., from med. L. rata (from L. pro rata parte (or portione) ‘according to the proportional share’), from ratus ‘reckoned’, past part. of reri.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
rate2

▶verb archaic scold angrily.

– origin ME: of unknown origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
rate3

▶verb variant spelling of ret.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
ret /rɛt/ (also rate)

▶verb (rets, retting, retted) soak (flax or hemp) in water to soften it.

– origin ME: rel. to rot.