rater

A sailor adjusts the sails on a five rater during a regatta.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • One who rates: A person who evaluates, assesses, or assigns a value, rank, or grade to something or someone.
   • A critic or appraiser: Especially in contexts like performance reviews, product ratings, or competitions.
   • Archaic or informal: A person who scolds or berates harshly (from the verb "to rate" meaning to chide).

Usage Examples

• As an evaluator:

  • The film rater gave the movie a score of 8 out of 10. (A person who assigns a rating.)
  • Online product raters often base their reviews on personal experience. (People who evaluate items for others.)

• As a scolder (archaic):

  • The old woman was known as a fierce rater of noisy children. (A person who scolds angrily.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be a first rater": to be of excellent quality or top rank.

  • This restaurant is a first rater; the food is superb. (It is of the highest class.)

• "to be a second rater": to be mediocre or of inferior quality.

  • He dismissed the novel as a second rater, not worth reading. (A work of low standard.)

Variants and Related Words

• Rate (verb): to assign a value, rank, or grade.

  • I rate this book highly for its originality. (I give it a high evaluation.)

• Rating (noun): a classification or score.

  • The film received a rating of 12A. (An age classification.)

• Rated (adjective): having a specified rank or value.

  • The hotel is a five-star rated establishment. (Officially classified as five-star.)

Synonyms

• Evaluator: a person who judges the quality, importance, or value of something.
• Assessor: one who officially estimates the value or amount of something.
• Critic: a person who expresses a reasoned opinion on something, especially a work of art or performance.
• Scolder (archaic): a person who rebukes or reprimands angrily.

Phrasal Verbs

• Rate up: to increase the rating or value of something.

  • The insurance company rated up my policy due to the risk. (They increased the premium.)

• Rate among: to be considered as part of a group.

  • He rates among the best pianists of his generation. (He is included in that category.)

Related Idioms

• Rate someone or something highly: to have a very favourable opinion of them.

  • I rate her highly as a leader. (I have great respect for her abilities.)

• Rate as a second rater: to be considered mediocre.

  • The team rated as a second rater in the league. (They were viewed as average.)