-rat'-

v. t. & i. [ Perh. fr. E. rate, v. t., to value at a certain rate, to estimate, but more prob. fr. Sw. rata to find fault, to blame, to despise, to hold cheap; cf. Icel. hrat refuse, hrati rubbish. ] To chide with vehemence; to scold; to censure violently; to berate. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

Go, rate thy minions, proud, insulting boy! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Conscience is a check to beginners in sin, reclaiming them from it, and rating them for it. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF., fr. L. rata (sc. pars), fr. ratus reckoned, fixed by calculation, p. p. of reri to reckon, to calculate. Cf. Reason. ] 1. Established portion or measure; fixed allowance. [ 1913 Webster ]

The one right feeble through the evil rate
Of food which in her duress she had found. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is established as a measure or criterion; degree; standard; rank; proportion; ratio; as, a slow rate of movement; rate of interest is the ratio of the interest to the principal, per annum. [ 1913 Webster ]

Heretofore the rate and standard of wit was different from what it is nowadays. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

In this did his holiness and godliness appear above the rate and pitch of other men's, in that he was so . . . merciful. Calamy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Many of the horse could not march at that rate, nor come up soon enough. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Valuation; price fixed with relation to a standard; cost; charge; as, high or low rates of transportation. [ 1913 Webster ]

They come at dear rates from Japan. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A tax or sum assessed by authority on property for public use, according to its income or value; esp., in England, a local tax; as, parish rates; town rates. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Order; arrangement. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thus sat they all around in seemly rate. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Ratification; approval. [ R. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Horol.) The gain or loss of a timepiece in a unit of time; as, daily rate; hourly rate; etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Naut.) (a) The order or class to which a war vessel belongs, determined according to its size, armament, etc.; as, first rate, second rate, etc. (b) The class of a merchant vessel for marine insurance, determined by its relative safety as a risk, as A1, A2, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To be set or considered in a class; to have rank; as, the ship rates as a ship of the line. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make an estimate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. See Ratable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. ] (Zool.) Any carnivore of the genus Mellivora, allied to the weasels and the skunks; -- called also honey badger. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Several species are known in Africa and India. The Cape ratel (Mellivora Capensis) and the Indian ratel (Mellivora Indica) are the best known. The back is gray; the lower parts, face, and tail are black. They are fond of honey, and rob the nests of wild bees. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who pays rates or taxes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who rates or estimates. [ 1913 Webster ]