1.degree的基本意思是“度”。可指图形的角度,也可指坡度,更常用于指温度。
2.degree用作温度的“度数”时,是科技术语,用作可数名词,有时可缩写为deg,常与介词at连用,表示“零摄氏度以上”; 与介词of连用时,表示“零摄氏度以下”。
3.degree作“程度”解时可用作不可数名词,也可用作可数名词,受不定冠词a修饰。指“在某种程度上”时,常与介词to连用。
4.degree指“某学科的学位”时,是可数名词,常与介词in连用。
5.degree还可以作“社会地位”解,此时是不可数名词。

by degrees
一点一点地,逐渐地 gradually
He is picking up the language by degrees.他一点一点地学会了这门语言。
By degrees their friendship grew into love.他们的友谊渐渐发展成为爱情。
She grows stronger by degrees.她逐渐的强壮起来。
He's getting better by degrees.他逐渐好起来。

to a degree
1.〈美口〉有点,稍微 a little; not very much
In some things I am ignorant to a degree.在一些事上我一点也不知道。
I think that's true to a degree, but the situation is not quite so simple.我觉得那还是有几分正确性的,但情况并不那么简单。
I suppose that each one of us, to a degree, is a prisoner of our experience.我想咱们每个人都多少会受到个人经验的局限。
The various forces to a large degree cancelled out.在很大程度上这些不同的力互相抵消了。
I agree with you to a certain degree.我在某种程度上同意你的意见。
2.〈英口〉极其,非常 very much indeed
She's untidy to a degree, her papers are all over the floor!她这个人极不整洁,文件扔得满地都是!
I was tired to a degree when the race was over.当比赛结束时,我极度疲劳。
His suitings are natty to a degree.他的衣料极其漂亮。
She is vain to a high degree.她极爱虚荣。
She is scrupulous to a degree.她非常谨慎。
He was tired to such a degree that he fainted.他疲乏得昏了过去。

Every circle has 360 degrees.每个圆都有360度。
Angles of less than 90 degrees are called acute angles.小于90度的角叫锐角。
The lamp-post was leaning across the road at an angle of thirty degrees.灯柱以30°的倾斜角向马路方向倾斜。
It's 10 degrees below zero.零下10℃。
The thermometer stands at 22 degrees.温度计的读数是22度。
We had five degrees of frost last night.昨晚零下5度。
We have different degrees of ability.我们的能力大小各不相同。
The students have different degrees of ability.这些学生具有不同程度的能力。
She shows a high degree of skill in her work.她在工作中表现出高超的技巧。
The desire to imitate shows itself to a very marked degree among children all over the world.全世界儿童都表现出强烈的模仿欲望。
The device acquires a high degree of dexterity.这台仪器的灵敏度很高。
The science has attained a high degree of development.该学科已达到高度发展的程度。
His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术造诣已达到炉火纯青的地步。
There seemed to be a degree of personality in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
I'm not in the slightest degree interested in geometry.我对几何丝毫不感兴趣。
He can't be trusted in the slightest degree.他一点也不值得信任。
These new words have won some degree of acceptance and use.这些新词在某种程度上已被接受和使用。
To what degree was he involved in the crimes?他在多大程度上参与了这些犯罪活动?
Their friendship by degrees grew into love.他们的友谊逐渐发展成为爱情。
Each is useful in its degree.各有程度不同的用处。
A high degree of socialist initiative has emerged in the masses.群众中出现了高度的社会主义创造性。
You must accept some degree of responsibility.你必须承担一定的责任。
He has advanced one degree in promotion.他晋升一级。
He took his M.A. degree at Oxford.他在牛津大学获得文学硕士学位。
I graduated from Beijing University with a B.A. degree this year.我于今年毕业于北京大学,并取得文学学士学位。
He was awarded a degree in commerce.他被授予商科学位。
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is awarded to him.他被授予哲学博士学位。
She obtained a Ph.D. degree.她获哲学博士学位。
I was granted a degree in education.我被授予教育学学位。
He has a degree from Columbia.他获得了哥伦比亚大学的学位。
He took his degree with first-class honour.他以优异成绩取得学位。
The girl is working toward a degree in history.这女孩正攻读历史学位。
A university gives a degree to those who pass the examinations.大学向通过考试的人授予学位。
A university degree is not necessarily a gateway to a good job.大学学位未必能带来一份好的工作。
I didn't put down that I had postgraduate degree.我没有写上我有硕士学位。

水在0℃结冰。
［误］  Water freezes at 0 degree Centigrade.
［正］  Water freezes at 0 degrees Centigrade.
［析］  尽管是零度,但通常用复数形式degrees。

［同义词］   grade, level, order, stage, standard
［词源］ ＜古法语degre(步,度,级)