amount of a charge or payment relative to some basis; "a 10-minute phone call at that rate would cost $5"
a quantity or amount or measure considered as a proportion of another quantity or amount or measure; "the literacy rate"; "the retention rate"; "the dropout rate"
a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit; "they traveled at a rate of 55 miles per hour"; "the rate of change was faster than expected"
assign a rank or rating to; "how would you rank these students?"; "The restaurant is rated highly in the food guide"
estimate the value of; "How would you rate his chances to become President?"; "Gold was rated highly among the Romans"
be worthy of or have a certain rating; "This bond rates highly"
a note explaining an absence; "he had to get his mother to write an excuse for him"
a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.; "he kept finding excuses to stay"; "every day he had a new alibi for not getting a job"; "his transparent self-justification was unacceptable"
excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with; "excuse someone's behavior"; "She condoned her husband's occasional infidelities"
serve as a reason or cause or justification of; "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work"; "Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again"
grant exemption or release to; "Please excuse me from this class"
ask for permission to be released from an engagement
accept an excuse for; "Please excuse my dirty hands"