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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary de·grade ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Anglo-French degrader, from Late Latin degradare, from Latin de- + gradus step, grade — more at grade DATE 14th century transitive verb 1. a. to lower in grade, rank, or status : demote b. to strip of rank or honors c. to lower to an inferior or less effective level degrade the image quality d. to scale down in desirability or salability 2. a. to bring to low esteem or into disrepute his actions have degraded his profession b. to drag down in moral or intellectual character : corrupt 3. to impair in respect to some physical property material degraded by exposure to sunlight 4. to wear down by erosion 5. to reduce the complexity of (a chemical compound) : decompose intransitive verb 1. to pass from a higher grade or class to a lower 2. of a chemical compound : to become reduced in complexity • de·grad·er noun English Etymology degrade early 14c., from O.Fr . degrader (12c.), from des- "down" + L.gradus "step" (see grade).http://O.Fr Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 degrade de·grade / di5^reid / verb1. [VN] to show or treat sb in a way that makes them seem not worth any respect or not worth taking seriously 降低…身分；侮辱…的人格；使受屈辱: This poster is offensive and degrades women. 这张海报冒失无礼,有辱女性尊严。 2. [V , VN] (technical 术语) to change or make sth change to a simpler chemical form (使)退化,降解；分解 3. [VN] (technical 术语) to make sth become worse, especially in quality 降低,削弱(尤指质量) Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus-11th Edition v. Function: verb 1 to lower in station, rank, or grade FF1C;degraded in rank for misconductFF1E; Synonyms: break, bump, bust, declass, demerit, demote, disgrade, disrate, downgrade, put down, reduce Related Words: abase, debase, humble, humiliate, lower; disbar, rule out Contrasted Words: advance, further; boost, lift, raise; enhance, heighten Antonyms: elevate 2 Synonyms: HUMBLE , abase, bemean, cast down, debase, demean, humiliate, lower, sink Related Words: belittle, decry, derogate, detract, disparage; diminish, lessen, reduce Contrasted Words: elevate, raise; acclaim, extol, laud, praise Antonyms: uplift Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged de·grade I. \də̇ˈgrād, dēˈ-; in senses definable “to make or become lower in grade”, “ or ˈdē|g-\ verb Etymology: Middle English degraden, from Middle French degrader, desgrader, from Late Latin degradare, from Latin de- + gradus step, pace — more at grade transitive verb 1. : to lower in rank, grade, or status: a. : to reduce from a higher to a lower rank or from a position of dignity or privilege : demote , depose < the world is weary of statesmen whom democracy has degraded into politicians — Benjamin Disraeli > b. : to strip of rank or honors; specifically : to deprive (a priest) of office, privileges and in the Roman Catholic Church of all that outwardly betokens priesthood c. : to lower from a superior to an inferior level : deprive of standing, efficacy, true function, or exalted status : pervert < the writer who degrades the press to a mere means of material livelihood — J.T.Farrell > < they will claim that the biosystematists are attempting to degrade and wreck the classical concept of the genus — W.H.Camp > < like the grandees of the Classical Renaissance they degraded art, which is a religion, to upholstery, a menial trade — Clive Bell > d. : to lower in grade : scale or step down or reduce (as a commercial product) in desirability or salability < because of the exposed area and the formation of callus tissue on its edges it seriously degrades logs — Ecology > < good honey can easily be degraded in quality by unskilled handling and careless presentation — British Book News > < turkeys not in prime condition are degraded > 2. : to bring to low esteem or disrepute : expose to shame, humiliation, or contempt < he had degraded his office by shameless extortion — John Buchan > < a compelled confession demoralizes the confessor and degrades the confessed — Saturday Review > < eagerness of millions of voters to respond to an appeal that does not degrade them or pander to their worst instincts — Elmer Rice > 3. : to bring low or drag down in moral or intellectual character :reduce to dishonor, ignominy, depravity, or moral degeneracy : debase , corrupt < the Indians who consume peyote buttons do not seem to be physically or morally degraded by the habit — Aldous Huxley > < by the end of the 19th century love of country was being unusually degraded into contempt for foreigners — Herbert Agar > < an age of compromise, or moral skepticism, and of practiced art in degrading the highest of all values into the service of the lowest of all compliances — W.L.Sullivan > 4. : to lower or impair in respect to some physical property: a. : to damage by weakening or removing some requisite property < it is recognized that rubber is degraded to some extent by contact with copper — D.W.Gay > b. : to diminish (some pertinent quality or capability) with deteriorating effect < they will, if they obey the physical law, hold that society does work by degrading its energies — Henry Adams > c. : to reduce the definition of (a photographic or projected picture) < in an air photographic system haze and air turbulence degradethe image > d. : to break up (as coal or ore) into small lumps or into dust e. : to reduce the strength of (a fabric or textile fiber) giving a tendency to deteriorate or disintegrate < exposure to sunlight degrades nylon yarn > 5. : to wear or scour by erosion < a stream in flood degrading its channel > < the surrounding country … which has been degraded by the processes of denudation — Walter Fitzgerald > 6. : to reduce the complexity of (a chemical compound) by splitting off one or more groups or larger component parts : decompose , depolymerize < degrade hexose sugars to pentoses > < cellulose is degraded by the action of some bacteria > intransitive verb 1. : to pass from a higher grade or class to a lower < areas of the forest have degraded into scrub > 2. : to postpone entering the examination for a degree in honors at Cambridge University beyond the usual or required time 3. biology : degenerate 4. of a chemical compound : to undergo degradation II. \ˈdēˌgrād\ noun : lumber or a log found to be below grade in quality; also : a reduction in grade |
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