class
♦♦♦ class /kl'ɑːs, kl'æs/ (classes classing classed)
1 [N-COUNT]
A class is a group of pupils or students who are taught together.
He had to spend about six months in a class with younger students...
Reducing class sizes should be a top priority.
2 [N-COUNT] oft n N
A class is a course of teaching in a particular subject.
He acquired a law degree by taking classes at night...
I go to dance classes here in New York.
= lesson
3 [N-UNCOUNT] in N
If you do something in class, you do it during a lesson in school.
There is lots of reading in class.
4 [N-SING] N of date
The students in a school or university who finish their course in a particular year are often referred to as the class of that year.
These two members of Yale's Class of '57 never miss a reunion.
5 [N-VAR]
Class refers to the division of people in a society into groups according to their social status.
...the relationship between social classes...
...the characteristics of the British class structure.
see also chattering classes, middle class, working class, working class
6 [N-COUNT] usu N of n
A class of things is a group of them with similar characteristics.
...the division of the stars into six classes of brightness.
7 [VERB] be V-ed as n/adj, V pron-refl as n, V n as adj/n, V-ed
If someone or something is classed as a particular thing, they are regarded as belonging to that group of things.
Since the birds inter-breed they cannot be classed as different species...
I class myself as an ordinary working person...
I would class my garden as medium in size...
Malaysia wants to send back refugees classed as economic migrants.
8 [N-UNCOUNT]
If you say that someone or something has class, you mean that they are elegant and sophisticated. (INFORMAL)
He's got the same style off the pitch as he has on it-sheer class.
9
see also business class, first-class, third-class, third-class, top-class, world-class
10 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If someone is in a class of their own, they have more of a particular skill or quality than anyone else. If something is in a class of its own, it is better than any other similar thing.
As a player, he was in a class of his own.busi|ness class
[ADJ] ADJ n
Business class seating on an aeroplane costs less than first class but more than economy class.
You can pay to be upgraded to a business class seat.
[ADV] ADV after v
Business class is also an adverb.
They flew business class.
[N-UNCOUNT]
Business class is the business class seating on an aeroplane.
The Australian team will be seated in business class.class ac|tion (class actions)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
A class action is a legal case brought by a group of people rather than an individual.econo|my class
[ADJ] ADJ n
On an aeroplane, an economy class ticket or seat is the cheapest available.
The price includes two economy class airfares from Brisbane to Los Angeles.eve|ning class (evening classes)
[N-COUNT]
An evening class is a course for adults that is taught in the evening rather than during the day.
Jackie has been learning flamenco dancing at an evening class for three years.low|er class (lower classes)
also lower-class
[N-COUNT-COLL] usu pl
Some people use the lower class or the lower classes to refer to the division of society that they consider to have the lowest social status.
Education now offers the lower classes access to job opportunities...
[ADJ]
Lower class is also an adjective.
...lower-class families...♦ mid|dle class (middle classes)
[N-COUNT-COLL] usu the N
The middle class or middle classes are the people in a society who are not working class or upper class. Business people, managers, doctors, lawyers, and teachers are usually regarded as middle class.
...the expansion of the middle class in the late 19th century...
The President may have secured some support from the middle classes.
[ADJ]
Middle class is also an adjective.
He is rapidly losing the support of blue-collar voters and of middle-class conservatives...re|cep|tion class (reception classes)
[N-COUNT]
A reception class is a class that children go into when they first start school at the age of four or five. (BRIT)up|per class (upper classes)
also upper-class
[N-COUNT-COLL] usu the N
The upper class or the upper classes are the group of people in a society who own the most property and have the highest social status, and who may not need to work for money.
...goods specifically designed to appeal to the tastes of the upper class...
[ADJ] usu ADJ n
Upper class is also an adjective.
All of them came from wealthy, upper class families.word class (word classes)
[N-COUNT]
A word class is a group of words that have the same basic behaviour, for example nouns, adjectives, or verbs.work|ing class (working classes)
[N-COUNT-COLL] the N
The working class or the working classes are the group of people in a society who do not own much property, who have low social status, and who do jobs which involve using physical skills rather than intellectual skills.
...increased levels of home ownership among the working classes.
[ADJ] usu ADJ n
Working class is also an adjective.
...a self-educated man from a working class background...
The group is mainly black, mainly working-class.
1 [N-COUNT]
A class is a group of pupils or students who are taught together.
He had to spend about six months in a class with younger students...
Reducing class sizes should be a top priority.
2 [N-COUNT] oft n N
A class is a course of teaching in a particular subject.
He acquired a law degree by taking classes at night...
I go to dance classes here in New York.
= lesson
3 [N-UNCOUNT] in N
If you do something in class, you do it during a lesson in school.
There is lots of reading in class.
4 [N-SING] N of date
The students in a school or university who finish their course in a particular year are often referred to as the class of that year.
These two members of Yale's Class of '57 never miss a reunion.
5 [N-VAR]
Class refers to the division of people in a society into groups according to their social status.
...the relationship between social classes...
...the characteristics of the British class structure.
see also chattering classes, middle class, working class, working class
6 [N-COUNT] usu N of n
A class of things is a group of them with similar characteristics.
...the division of the stars into six classes of brightness.
7 [VERB] be V-ed as n/adj, V pron-refl as n, V n as adj/n, V-ed
If someone or something is classed as a particular thing, they are regarded as belonging to that group of things.
Since the birds inter-breed they cannot be classed as different species...
I class myself as an ordinary working person...
I would class my garden as medium in size...
Malaysia wants to send back refugees classed as economic migrants.
8 [N-UNCOUNT]
If you say that someone or something has class, you mean that they are elegant and sophisticated. (INFORMAL)
He's got the same style off the pitch as he has on it-sheer class.
9
see also business class, first-class, third-class, third-class, top-class, world-class
10 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If someone is in a class of their own, they have more of a particular skill or quality than anyone else. If something is in a class of its own, it is better than any other similar thing.
As a player, he was in a class of his own.busi|ness class
[ADJ] ADJ n
Business class seating on an aeroplane costs less than first class but more than economy class.
You can pay to be upgraded to a business class seat.
[ADV] ADV after v
Business class is also an adverb.
They flew business class.
[N-UNCOUNT]
Business class is the business class seating on an aeroplane.
The Australian team will be seated in business class.class ac|tion (class actions)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
A class action is a legal case brought by a group of people rather than an individual.econo|my class
[ADJ] ADJ n
On an aeroplane, an economy class ticket or seat is the cheapest available.
The price includes two economy class airfares from Brisbane to Los Angeles.eve|ning class (evening classes)
[N-COUNT]
An evening class is a course for adults that is taught in the evening rather than during the day.
Jackie has been learning flamenco dancing at an evening class for three years.low|er class (lower classes)
also lower-class
[N-COUNT-COLL] usu pl
Some people use the lower class or the lower classes to refer to the division of society that they consider to have the lowest social status.
Education now offers the lower classes access to job opportunities...
[ADJ]
Lower class is also an adjective.
...lower-class families...♦ mid|dle class (middle classes)
[N-COUNT-COLL] usu the N
The middle class or middle classes are the people in a society who are not working class or upper class. Business people, managers, doctors, lawyers, and teachers are usually regarded as middle class.
...the expansion of the middle class in the late 19th century...
The President may have secured some support from the middle classes.
[ADJ]
Middle class is also an adjective.
He is rapidly losing the support of blue-collar voters and of middle-class conservatives...re|cep|tion class (reception classes)
[N-COUNT]
A reception class is a class that children go into when they first start school at the age of four or five. (BRIT)up|per class (upper classes)
also upper-class
[N-COUNT-COLL] usu the N
The upper class or the upper classes are the group of people in a society who own the most property and have the highest social status, and who may not need to work for money.
...goods specifically designed to appeal to the tastes of the upper class...
[ADJ] usu ADJ n
Upper class is also an adjective.
All of them came from wealthy, upper class families.word class (word classes)
[N-COUNT]
A word class is a group of words that have the same basic behaviour, for example nouns, adjectives, or verbs.work|ing class (working classes)
[N-COUNT-COLL] the N
The working class or the working classes are the group of people in a society who do not own much property, who have low social status, and who do jobs which involve using physical skills rather than intellectual skills.
...increased levels of home ownership among the working classes.
[ADJ] usu ADJ n
Working class is also an adjective.
...a self-educated man from a working class background...
The group is mainly black, mainly working-class.