(a) An elevated place, a step, platform, tier; a step in a flight of stairs; a tier of seats; a rung of a ladder; song of degres, one of the fifteen gradual Psalms; (b) bi degres, by steps or stairs; in degre(s, in tiers; in such ~, in such an elevated position; (c) the distance of a step, a pace; a distance marked on some kind of sundial.

A stage of advancement, development, improvement, or deterioration; a stage (in virtue, sin, love, growth, poverty, time, etc.); gon in ~, advanced in measures of time; lord at al degres, master of every stage of love; (b) bi degre(s, by stages, gradually.

(a) A generation; (b) a degree of kinship; (c) a genealogy, pedigree.

(a) Rank, social condition, position in a hierarchy of persons; as ~ asketh, as (one's) rank requires, in keeping with (one's) rank; (b) according to ~, after ~, at ~, bi ~, for ~, in ~, like (to) ~, of ~, to ~, according to (one's) rank, as befits (one's) rank; (c) of ~, of high rank; (d) a university degree, medical degree, degree in divinity; proceden in ~, to work toward a higher degree; taken ~, receive a degree; (e) the order of knighthood; (f) a grade in the Church hierarchy; a monastic rank; a rank in the descending order of women (i.e. virgin, widow, wife); ?one of the orders of angels [quot.: c1350].

(a) Victory, honor won in fighting; esp., the prize in a tournament or combat; also, success; (b) honor, prestige; (c) ?a combat.

(a) Condition, state; standing, reputation [quot.: c1475]; putten in ~, to put (sb.) in (a certain) state, bind by rules; to the worldes ~, in worldly condition, as far as the world knows; (b) kind, sort, type; (c) natural state, nature; (d) order, position; bi degre(s, in order; ech in ~, each in turn; fast in ~, fixed in (its) position.

(a) Way, manner; in god ~, in a good way; (in) what ~, in what way, to what extent; upon such ~, in such a way; (b) in al ~, in al maner ~, in ech ~, in everi ~, of ech ~, in every way, in every respect; in ani ~, in any way; in no ~, in non ~, in non maner ~, in no way, to no extent, not at all; in on ~, in o ~, in the same way, to the same degree; in som ~, bi som ~, in some way, to some extent.

Persons of a certain rank or social order; a stratum of the Church hierarchy; masons of a certain degree; aungeles ~, the angels.

Alch. (a) A degree or shade of color; (b) a degree or measure of heat.

Astron. & math. (a) A degree equal to 60 minutes of arc, 1/360 of a circle; in o ~, in the same degree of the ecliptic, at the same (apparent) spot in the sky; (b) ~ meridional (septentrional), a position (or a distance) in degrees south (north) of the ecliptic; ~ of a signe, a degree of the thirty assigned to a particular sign of the zodiac; ~ of Aries, ~ of Leo, etc.; ~ of latitude, a position (or a distance) in degrees north or south of the ecliptic; ~ of longitude, a position (or a distance) in degrees on the ecliptic; ~ of the ecliptik, a position (or a distance) in degrees measured on the ecliptic; ~ of the zodiak, a position (or a distance) in degrees measured on the zodiac (= degre of longitude); also, a position (or a distance) measured north or south of the ecliptic within the 12-degree band of the zodiac; (c) ~ of almicanteras, ~ of height, a degree of altitude from the horizon (measured on a circle through the zenith); (d) the position of a heavenly body in relation to the ecliptic or the zodiac, the celestial latitude and/or longitude; also fig. the degree of a soul, dwelling place; ~ of a sterre, ~ of Jupiter, etc.; ~ of the sonne, the position of the sun; esp., the degree reached on the ecliptic; (e) a degree of time, four minutes; ~ of the bordure, a degree as marked off on the border of an astrolabe; ~ of the equinoxial, a degree on the celestial equator; (f) one of a small number of equal segments into which a line is divided.

Gram. A degree of comparison.

Med. (a) One of the four degrees of intensity [see Lanfranc quot.]; a degree of heat, cold, moisture, or dryness; (b) ~ of holsomnes, a degree of healthfulness.