"degree" from Merriam Webster

Hi,

I found the definition of "degree" from Merriam Webster Dictionary,

degree: none
1: a step or stage in a process, course, or order of classification


According to above definition, I have understood the meaning of "degree",

But I don't understand the meaning of the whole sentence: advanced by degrees,

What does that sentence mean?

Thanks.

That the thing/person has advanced in stages, perhaps? It's hard to tell by just 'advanced by degrees'. They could have given a better example than that, if that is the example given.

Fenglish, give the full sentence if possible!:up:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Offroad

Fenglish, give the full sentence if possible!:up:

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The dictionary just given out ,

and this is the full definition of "degree": degree - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Using the definition, you can paraphrase the phrase as " moved forward by short stages".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Anglika

Using the definition, you can paraphrase the phrase as " moved forward by short stages".

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Why it is "short", why not "long"?

'advanced by degrees' suggests that it moves forward gradually.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Offroad

'advanced by degrees' suggests that it moves forward gradually.

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:up: - which shows how useful Latin can be: gradus => step!

I'd guess, without having done the necessary research, that 'degree' is derived, via French, from a Vulgar Latin DE GRADU(M) (I said Vulgar, so not GRADO ;-))

b

What's wrong with my suggestion, Bob?

My slip. Sorry :oops: I've fixed the formatting now.

b