In France: an honourable mention in an examination or competition. Also with preceding ordinal number denoting position in a series of such…

Chiefly with reference to higher education. (a) An award for proficiency in scholarship beyond that required to pass a particular examination…

Not in North American use. Officially recorded acknowledgement of merit in an examination as reflected in the marks awarded.

The second of a ranked series of classes in which things are grouped; esp. of university degrees, railway carriages, and mail.

As a count noun. British. A place in the top grade in an examination, especially that for a degree. Also: a person who has received the top grade…

In elliptical uses. British. A place in the highest division in the results of a university examination; a person who has obtained such a place.

n. phr. The class next below the second; esp. of railway carriages; also in an examination list; hence, a place in the third class in an examination.

With reference to university qualifications: = honour, n. 5c(b). Frequently as postmodifier, following abbreviated degree titles and designating…

U.S. A maximum score or achievement, esp. in an examination; a student who has attained or is likely to attain such a score. Now rare.

Elliptical uses of the adjective passing into quasi-n. (mostly admitting of plural). A place in the second class in an examination; one who takes…

a distinction accorded to an entry in a competition that is judged to be of merit but is not awarded a top prize; cf. honourable mention n. at honou…

The condition or fact of distinguishing oneself by excellence in an examination, as of a degree awarded with distinction; hence, a credit or…

Education. Denoting the highest class of academic mark. Cf. straight A n. at straight, adj. n.adv. compounds 1c.

Education. Denoting the fifth highest class of academic mark (where A is the highest); (also occasionally) denoting the sixth highest mark where…

(a) (usually represented as.22), used attributively and absol. to designate (ammunition for) a gun with a calibre of 0.22 inch; (b) (also…

Chiefly British. An examiner's or teacher's first-class mark. Also in extended use. Cf. A, n. 2e.

(a) n. an academic mark in the higher range of the first class, an excellent mark; (b) adj. superlatively excellent or first-rate.

A third-class mark awarded in an examination, test, etc.; a paper, candidate, etc., meriting such a mark. Sometimes with a following modifying word…

An examiner's second-class mark. Also transferred.

An examiner's fourth-class mark (often the lowest grading category). Also transferred, applied to a person.

(a) n.an academic mark in the lower range of the first class, one approaching the first class; (b) adj. nearly excellent or first-rate.

A place in the fourth class in an examination list.

uniform top grades.

a place in the upper division of the second class in a degree class-list; (a graduate having) an upper-second-class degree; also represented as…

the lower division of a second-class honours degree; = two-two n. (b) at two, adj. n.adv. compounds 2.

a distinction accorded to a work of art or literature, etc., entered in a competition, that is considered of exceptional merit but is not awarded a…