rate noun
1 speed/frequency
ADJ. constant, expected, regular, steady | slow the slow rate of change | fast, rapid | alarming, phenomenal The costs of the project are rising at an alarming rate. | low There is a low survival rate among babies born before 22 weeks. | high | ever-increasing, rocketing | seasonally-adjusted The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in December stood at 5%. | success | divorce, marriage | death, mortality | survival | birth, fertility | accident | crime | growth, inflation | metabolic, pulse, respiratory We need to eat less as we get older and our metabolic rate slows down.
VERB + RATE improve, increase, speed up | cut, hold down, reduce, slow down trying to hold down the rate of inflation | stabilize | maintain | increase
RATE + VERB be/go/shoot up, grow, increase, rise, rocket, skyrocket, soar | be/come/go down, decline, decrease, drop, fall, plummet, plunge, slow, slip
PREP. at a/the ~ The water was escaping at a rate of 200 gallons a minute.
2 amount of money paid
ADJ. competitive, cheap, low, moderate, reasonable We have a wide range of vehicles available for hire at competitive rates. Calls are cheap rate after 6 p.m. | extortionate, high | excellent, good | poor The account offers a poor rate of interest. | fixed, flat You can opt to pay a flat rate for unlimited Internet access. | usual | going I'll pay you at the going rate (= the present usual rate of payment). | variable | annual, hourly, weekly | base, basic, standard | top paying the top rate of tax | average | market current market rates for borrowing | group, preferential, reduced Ask about the special group rates for entrance to the house and gardens. | bank, exchange, interest, lending, mortgage, tax
VERB + RATE determine, fix, set | increase, lift, put up, raise | cut, lower, reduce | hold We will hold these rates until 1 April. | charge They charge the usual rate of interest. | pay | give (sb), offer (sb)
RATE + VERB go/shoot up, increase, rise Their hourly rates have gone up. | come/go down, drop | fluctuate Exchange rates are fluctuating wildly. | apply to sth Standard rates of interest apply to these loans.
PREP. at a/the ~ borrowing money at a high rate of interest | ~ for the average rate for an unskilled worker | ~ of an increase in the rate of taxation
PHRASES a drop in interest rates, a rise in mortgage rates, etc. a one-point rise in base lending rates | a rate of return safe investments which give a good rate of return > Note at PERCENT (for more verbs)
rate verb
ADV. highly Silver was rated more highly than gold.
PREP. among a golf course that is rated among the top ten in America | as It is rated as one of the city's best hotels. | for a university that is highly rated for its research work
You can also check other dicts: rate (English, 中文解释 ), wordnet sense, Collins Definition