ladder vs rate

ladder

noun
  • A series of stages by which one progresses to a better position. 

  • A length of unravelled fabric in a knitted garment, especially in nylon stockings; a run. 

  • A frame, usually portable, of wood, metal, or rope, used for ascent and descent, consisting of two side pieces to which are fastened rungs (cross strips or rounds acting as steps). 

  • In the game of go, a sequence of moves following a zigzag pattern and ultimately leading to the capture of the attacked stones. 

  • The hierarchy or ranking system within an organization, such as the corporate ladder. 

verb
  • Of a knitted garment: to develop a ladder as a result of a broken thread. 

  • To ascend (a building, a wall, etc.) using a ladder. 

  • To arrange or form into a shape of a ladder. 

  • To close in on a target with successive salvos, increasing or decreasing the shot range as necessary. 

rate

noun
  • The relative speed of change or progress. 

  • A class into which ships were assigned based on condition, size etc.; by extension, rank. 

  • The price of (an individual) thing; cost. 

  • The gain or loss of a timepiece in a unit of time. 

  • The proportional relationship between one amount, value etc. and another. 

  • A set price or charge for all examples of a given case, commodity, service etc. 

  • A wage calculated in relation to a unit of time. 

  • Any of various taxes, especially those levied by a local authority. 

  • Speed. 

verb
  • To ascertain the exact rate of the gain or loss of (a chronometer) as compared with true time. 

  • To berate, scold. 

  • To assign or be assigned a particular rank or level. 

  • To evaluate a property's value for the purposes of local taxation. 

  • To evaluate or estimate the value of. 

  • To have position (in a certain class). 

  • To deserve; to be worth. 

  • To have value or standing. 

  • To determine the limits of safe functioning for a machine or electrical device. 

  • To consider or regard. 

  • To like; to think highly of. 

  • To ratify. 

How often have the words ladder and rate occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )