a scale or a series of successive changes, stages, or degrees (连续变化、阶段或程度的)等级,序列 the Act fails to provide both a clear and defensible gradation of offences. 这个法案未能对犯罪行为给出一个清楚合理的等级划分。 ■a stage or change in a such a scale or series (等级或序列中的一个)阶段;变化 minute gradations of distance. 距离上细微变化。 ■a minute change from one shade, tone, or colour to another (从某色调、音调或颜色向另一种的)微妙变化 amorphous shapes in subtle gradations of green and blue. 在绿色和蓝色之间微妙渐变的难以归类的颜色种类。 ■(in historical linguistics) another term for ablaut 历史语言学 同 ablaut
派生 gradational adjective gradationally adverb 语源
mid 16th cent.: from Latin gradatio(n-), based on gradus 'step'