Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - class

~1 n 1 »IN A SOCIETY« a) one of the groups in a society that people can be divided into according to their jobs, income, the kind of family they have etc  (the professional classes | class differences/distinctions/privileges etc)  (Class divisions are as evident in Britain today as ever.)  (- see also lower-class, middle-class, upper-class, working-class) b) the system in which people are divided into such groups  (class system)  (The old class system is slowly disappearing.) 2 »GROUP OF STUDENTS« a group of pupils or students who are taught together  (We're in the same class in math. (also + plural v BrE))  (My class are going on an outing to the Lake District.) 3 »TEACHING PERIOD« a period of time during which someone teaches a group of people, especially in a school; lesson (2) BrE  (in class (=during the class))  (No talking in class! | take a class BrE (=teach a class) | geography/French/cooking class (=a period of time during which a particular subject is taught)) 4 »LESSONS« AmE a set of classes you attend in order to study a particular subject; course1 (3) BrE  (a class in photography at night school) 5 »COLLEGE« especially AmE a group of students who finished studying together in the same year  (I missed a semester and couldn't graduate with my class. | the class of 1965/1973 etc)  (The class of '69 spent almost as much time protesting as learning.) 6 »OF ANIMALS/PLANTS ETC« a group of people, animals, or other things that can be considered or studied together because they are similar in some way 7 »QUALITY« a group into which people or things are divided according to their quality  (You get a nicer class of people living in this area. | in a class of its own (=used to say someone or something is excellent))  (Your mother's cooking is in a class of its own. | not in the same class (=not as good as someone or something))  (He's not in the same class as her at tennis.)  (- see also business-class, cabin-class, club-class, economy-class, first-class, high-class, low-class, second-class, third-class, tourist-class) 8 »STYLE« informal style or skill that you show in the way you do something, that makes people notice and admire you  (have/show class)  (The team showed real class in this afternoon's match. | class player/actress etc (=very good player, actress, etc) | class act (=used to describe someone who is very skilful, attractive etc))  (The company's very well managed, the class act of the industry.) 9 »DEGREE« BrE one of the three levels into which a university degree is divided according to the quality of the work  (a second class degree) ~2 v T often passive to consider people, things etc as belonging to a particular group, especially according to an official system  (class sb/sth as)  (Heroin and cocaine are classed as hard drugs.)