De-grēe', n.
n. [Fr. degré, O. Fr. degret, Pr. degra, degrad, Pg. degrao, from L. Lat. degradare, from Lat. de and gradus, step, degree. See DEGRADE.]
Sense 1. A step, stair, or staircase. [Obs.] “By ladders, or else by degree.” Chaucer.
Sense 2. One of a series of progressive steps upward or downward, in quality, rank, acquirement, and the like; grade; gradation; as, degrees of vice and virtue; to advance by slow degrees; degree of comparison.
He's in the third degree of drink. Shak.
Sense 3. The point or step of progression to which a person has arrived; position; station; rank; quality; measure of advancement; extent. “A dame of high degree.” Dryden. “A knight is your degree.” Shak.
The degree of excellence which proclaims genius, is different in different times and different places. Sir J. Reynolds.
Sense 4. Grade or rank to which scholars are admitted in recognition of their attainments by a college or university; as, the degree of bachelor of arts, master, doctor, and the like.
Degrees are usually evidenced by diplomas, and are conferred upon the alumni of a college in recognition of scholarly attainment, or upon strangers of distinguished reputation as honorary tokens of respect. The first degree is that of bachelor of arts; the second, that of master of arts. Honorary degrees are those of doctor of divinity, doctor of laws, &c. Physicians receive the degree of doctor of medicine.
The youth attained his bachelor's degree, and left the university. Macaulay.
Sense 5. (Genealogy.) A certain distance or remove in the line of descent, determining the proximity of blood; as, a relation in the third or fourth degree.
Sense 6. (Geom.) A 360th part of the circumference of a circle, as a unit of measure for arcs and angles.
Degree of latitude, on the earth, the distance on a meridian between two points whose latitudes differ from each other by one degree. This distance is not the same on different parts of the meridian, on account of the spheroidal figure of the earth, being 68.702 statute miles at the equator, and 69.396 at the poles. — Degree of longitude, the distance on a parallel of latitude between two meridians that make an angle of one degree with each other at the poles — a distance which varies as the co-sine of the latitude, being at the equator 69.16 statute miles.
Sense 7. (Algebra.) State as indicated by sum of exponents; more particularly, the degree of a term is indicated by the sum of the exponents of its literal factors; thus, a² b⁴ c is a term of the sixth degree. The degree of a power, or radical, is denoted by its index, that of an equation by the greatest sum of the exponents of the unknown quantities in any term; thus, a x⁴ + b x² = c, and m x² y² + n y x = p, are both equations of the fourth degree.
Sense 8. A division, space, or interval, marked on a mathematical or other instrument, as on a thermometer or barometer.
Sense 9. (Arith.) Three figures taken together in numeration; thus, 140 is one degree, 222,140 two degrees.
Sense 10. (Mus.) The difference in position or elevation between two notes. Moore.
By degrees, step by step; by little and little; by moderate advances. “I'll leave it by degrees.” Shak. — To a degree, to an extreme; exceedingly; as, mendacious to a degree.
It has been said that Scotsmen . . . are . . . grave to a degree on occasions when races more favored by nature are gladsome to excess. Prof. Wilson.