"degree" from Merriam Webster

[fenglish]

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
<advanced by ~s>

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.

[Linguist__]

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.

[Offroad]

Fenglish, give the full sentence if possible!

[fenglish]

Fenglish, give the full sentence if possible!

The dictionary just given out <advanced by ~s>,

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

[Anglika]

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

[fenglish]

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

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

[Offroad]

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

[BobK]

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

- 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

[Offroad]

What's wrong with my suggestion, Bob?

[BobK]

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

b