Rate Meaning
Rate Definition & Usage
To assign a particular value, quality, or rank to something or someone.
Examples
- "The movie was rated highly by critics."
- "She rates the service at this hotel as excellent."
- "I would rate him as one of the best players in the league."
- "The professor rates students based on their final exams."
- "They rate the restaurant as one of the top ten in the city."
To consider or judge the relative importance, quality, or value of something.
Examples
- "How do you rate the chances of winning?"
- "On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your happiness?"
- "I rate this issue as one of the most important facing the company."
- "He rated the challenge as extremely difficult."
- "I would rate my experience with the app as very poor."
To estimate or determine the price or cost of something, especially in financial or business contexts.
Examples
- "The insurance company rates your property based on its location and condition."
- "They rate loans according to risk level."
- "The contractor will rate the repairs based on the extent of the damage."
- "We need to rate the shipping costs before sending out the orders."
- "The hotel charges differently, depending on the season, with rates fluctuating."
A fixed price or charge for a service, product, or transaction.
Examples
- "The hotel charges a daily rate for its rooms."
- "You’ll need to pay a flat rate for shipping."
- "The hourly rate for the consultant was quite high."
- "Interest rates have increased over the past year."
- "We offer competitive rates for car insurance."
A ranking or classification system, typically numerical, based on a set of criteria.
Examples
- "The credit rate determines the interest you’ll be charged."
- "The team's performance rating has improved this season."
- "The product's customer rating was above 4 stars."
- "The bank uses a rating scale to assess applicants' creditworthiness."
- "The restaurant has a high rating on food review websites."
Cultural Context
The word 'rate' comes from the Middle English 'rate' meaning 'reckoning, estimate'. Over time, it developed various uses, particularly in the context of valuation, ranking, and pricing. It is widely used in both casual and formal settings to describe an evaluation of something, whether it's the performance of a product, the cost of a service, or a person's abilities.
The Rate of Success
Story
The Rate of Success
In a small town nestled between the mountains, there lived a young artist named Mia, whose work was starting to gain attention. One morning, as she sipped her coffee at a local café, she overheard a conversation between two men about the upcoming art competition. It was the event of the season, and the winner would receive a significant cash prize and, more importantly, a chance to showcase their work at a renowned gallery. "I rate the competition as fierce this year," one of the men said, flipping through the local newspaper. "Some of the artists in this town are exceptionally talented." Mia smiled to herself. She had been working on a painting for weeks, unsure whether it would be good enough to enter. As she thought about the upcoming challenge, she wondered: how would she rate her own work? In her heart, she believed it was worthy, but doubts crept in. Later that afternoon, Mia met with her friend Tom, a well-known art critic. He had rated many of the previous year's submissions and was known for his honest, often blunt reviews. Mia asked him for advice. "You know, Tom, I rate my chances as slim," she confessed, anxiously. "What do you think?" Tom laughed. "Don’t sell yourself short. Every artist has their own style, their own voice. Don’t let other people’s ratings influence your work. But if you need my opinion, I’d say you’re definitely in the running." With renewed confidence, Mia entered the competition. On the day of the event, she was nervous but excited. She knew the panel of judges would rate her work alongside others, but it wasn’t about the final score—it was about the recognition and validation of her craft. As the judges made their rounds, Mia overheard them discussing her piece. One of them, clearly impressed, said, "I rate this piece highly. It’s unique, the use of color and texture is striking." In the end, Mia didn’t win the competition, but she was rated among the top five, which was a significant achievement. More importantly, her work was recognized, and she was invited to exhibit at the gallery. The experience taught her that success wasn’t just about the ratings—it was about believing in the value of her work, regardless of the scores given.
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