rate: English has two words rate. The commoner, ‘relative quantity’ [15], comes via Old French rate from medieval Latin rata ‘calculated, fixed’, as used in the expression pro rata parte ‘according to a fixed part, proportionally’. This was the feminine form of ratus, the past participle of rērī ‘think, calculate’, from which English also gets ratio, ration, reason, etc.
The other rate, ‘scold’ [14], is now seldom encountered except in its derivative berate [16]. It is not certain where it comes from, although a possible source is Old French reter ‘accuse, blame’, which comes from Latin reputāre (ancestor of English reputation). => ratio, ration, reason; berate
rate (n.)
"estimated value or worth," early 15c., from Old French rate "price, value" and directly from Medieval Latin rata (pars) "fixed (amount)," from Latin rata "fixed, settled," fem. past participle of reri "to reckon, think" (see reason (n.)). Meaning "degree of speed" (properly ratio between distance and time) is attested from 1650s. Currency exchange sense first recorded 1727. First-rate, second-rate, etc. are 1640s, from British Navy division of ships into six classes based on size and strength. Phrase at any rate originally (1610s) meant "at any cost;" weakened sense of "at least" is attested by 1760.
rate (v.1)
"to scold," late 14c., probably from Old French reter "to impute blame, accuse, find fault with," from Latin reputare "to count over, reflect," in Vulgar Latin, "to impute, blame" (see reputation). Related: Rated; rating.
rate (v.2)
"estimate the worth or value of," mid-15c., from rate (n.). Intransitive sense of "have a certain value, rank, or standing" is from 1809; specifically as "have high value" from 1928. Related: Rated; rating.
双语例句
1. Well, at any rate, let me thank you for all you did.
好吧，不管怎样，还是要感谢你所做的一切。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The rate of inflation is running at about 2.7 percent.
通货膨胀率大约为2.7%。
来自柯林斯例句
3. He is the least appealing character, to me at any rate.
他是其中最没有吸引力的角色，至少对我来说是这样。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Experimenters have succeeded in controlling the rate and regularity of the heartbeat.
实验者已经成功控制了心跳的速度和频率。
来自柯林斯例句
5. Argentina's erratic inflation rate threatens to upset the plans.
