a. [ Cf; F. graduel. See Grade, and cf. Gradual, n. ] Proceeding by steps or degrees; advancing, step by step, as in ascent or descent or from one state to another; regularly progressive; slow; as, a gradual increase of knowledge; a gradual decline. [ 1913 Webster ]

Creatures animate with gradual life
Of growth, sense, reason, all summed up in man. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. graduale a gradual (in sense 1), fr. L. gradus step: cf. F. graduel. See Grade, and cf. Grail a gradual. ] 1. (R. C. Ch.) (a) An antiphon or responsory after the epistle, in the Mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps. (b) A service book containing the musical portions of the Mass. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A series of steps. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being gradual; gradualness. [ R. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a gradual manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In degree. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Human reason doth not only gradually, but specifically, differ from the fantastic reason of brutes. Grew. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being gradual; regular progression or gradation; slowness. [ 1913 Webster ]

The gradualness of this movement. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

The gradualness of growth is a characteristic which strikes the simplest observer. H. Drummond. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To pass by degrees; to change gradually; to shade off; as, sandstone which graduates into gneiss; carnelian sometimes graduates into quartz. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) To taper, as the tail of certain birds. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To take a degree in a college or university; to become a graduate; to receive a diploma. [ 1913 Webster ]

He graduated at Oxford. Latham. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was brought to their bar and asked where he had graduated. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. graduatus, p. p. of graduare to admit to a degree, fr. L. gradus grade. See Grade, n. ] 1. One who has received an academical or professional degree; one who has completed the prescribed course of study in any school or institution of learning. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A graduated cup, tube, flask, or cylinder; a glass measuring container used by apothecaries and chemists. See under Graduated. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Graduate, n. & v. ] Arranged by successive steps or degrees; graduated. [ 1913 Webster ]

Beginning with the genus, passing through all the graduate
and subordinate stages. Tatham. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Graduated pos>p. pr. & vb. n. Graduating ] [ Cf. F. graduer. See Graduate, n., Grade. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To mark with degrees; to divide into regular steps, grades, or intervals, as the scale of a thermometer, a scheme of punishment or rewards, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To admit or elevate to a certain grade or degree; esp., in a college or university, to admit, at the close of the course, to an honorable standing defined by a diploma; as, he was graduated at Yale College. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To prepare gradually; to arrange, temper, or modify by degrees or to a certain degree; to determine the degrees of; as, to graduate the heat of an oven. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dyers advance and graduate their colors with salts. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Chem.) To bring to a certain degree of consistency, by evaporation, as a fluid. [ 1913 Webster ]

Graduating engine, a dividing engine. See Dividing engine, under Dividing. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Marked with, or divided into, degrees; divided into grades. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Tapered; -- said of a bird's tail when the outer feathers are shortest, and the others successively longer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Having visible marks and numbers at vertical intervals, permitting one to estimate the quantitity of material contained; -- of vessels, most commonly those used in laboratories for containing liquids. See graduated cylinder, etc., below. [ PJC ]

Graduated cylinder,
Graduated flask,
Graduated tube,
Graduated bottle,
Graduated cap,
Graduated glass a vessel, usually of glass, having horizontal marks upon its sides, with figures, to indicate the amount of the contents at the several levels. --
Graduated spring (Railroads), a combination of metallic and rubber springs. [ 1913 Webster ]