av·er·age (?v??r-?j, ?v?r?j)n.1. Mathematics a. A number that typifies a set of numbers of which it is a function.b. See arithmetic mean.2. a. An intermediate level or degree: near the average in size.b. The usual or ordinary kind or quality: Although the wines vary, the average is quite good.3. Sports The ratio of a team’s or player’s successful performances such as wins, hits, or goals, divided by total opportunities for successful performance, such as games, times at bat, or shots: finished the season with a .500 average; a batting average of .274.4. Law a. The loss of a ship or cargo, caused by damage at sea.b. The incurrence of damage or loss of a ship or cargo at sea.c. The equitable distribution of such a loss among concerned parties.d. A charge incurred through such a loss.5. Nautical Small expenses or charges that are usually paid by the master of a ship.adj.1. Mathematics Of, relating to, or constituting an average.2. Being intermediate between extremes, as on a scale: a movie of average length; a player of average ability.3. Usual or ordinary in kind or character: a poll of average people; average eyesight.4. Assessed in accordance with the law of averages.v. av·er·aged, av·er·ag·ing, av·er·ag·es v.tr.1. Mathematics To calculate the average of: average a set of numbers.2. To do or have an average of: averaged three hours of work a day.3. To distribute proportionately: average one’s income over four years so as to minimize the tax rate.v.intr. To be or amount to an average: Some sparrows are six inches long, but they average smaller. Our expenses averaged out to 45 dollars per day.Phrasal Verbs: average down To purchase shares of the same security at successively lower prices in order to reduce the average price of one’s position. average up To purchase shares of the same security at successively higher prices in order to achieve a larger position at an average price that is lower than the current market value.[Early Modern English, damage to a ship or its cargo, equitable distribution of the expenses from such damage, average, from Middle English, charge above the cost of freight, from Old French avarie, from Old Italian avaria, duty, from Arabic ‘aw?r?ya, damaged goods, from ‘aw?r, blemish, from ‘awira, to be damaged; see ?wr in Semitic roots.]av?er·age·ly adv.av?er·age·ness n.Synonyms: average, medium, mediocre, middling, fair1, acceptable, indifferent, tolerable These adjectives indicate a middle position on a scale of evaluation. Average and medium apply to what is midway between extremes and imply both sufficiency and lack of distinction: a novel of average merit; a digital recording of medium quality. Mediocre and middling stress the undistinguished aspect of what is average: “The caliber of the students … has gone from mediocre to above average” (Judy Pasternak).”Every writer creates weak, middling and strong work” (Frank Conroy). What is fair or acceptable is satisfactory or moderately good but has room for improvement: a fair chance of winning; an acceptable grade on the test. Indifferent means neither good nor bad and suggests a detached or resigned acceptance of such a status: “Burningham was an indifferent student at every school he attended … and he preferred to be out of doors” (Andrea Cleghorn). Something tolerable is good enough under the circumstances, but barely: “Tennyson … suffered … from illness fears, particularly of going blind, though he lived into his eighties with tolerable eyesight” (Carla Cantor).American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.average (?æv?r?d?; ?ævr?d?) n1. the typical or normal amount, quality, degree, etc: above average in intelligence. 2. (Mathematics) Also called: arithmetic mean the result obtained by adding the numbers or quantities in a set and dividing the total by the number of members in the set: the average of 3, 4, and 8 is 5. 3. (Mathematics) (of a continuously variable ratio, such as speed) the quotient of the differences between the initial and final values of the two quantities that make up the ratio: his average over the journey was 30 miles per hour. 4. (Law) maritime law a. a loss incurred or damage suffered by a ship or its cargo at seab. the equitable apportionment of such loss among the interested parties5. (Stock Exchange) (often plural) stock exchange a simple or weighted average of the prices of a selected group of securities computed in order to facilitate market comparisons6. on average on the average on an average usually; typically: on average, he goes twice a week. adj7. usual or typical8. mediocre or inferior: his performance was only average. 9. constituting a numerical average: the average age; an average speed. 10. approximately typical of a range of values: the average contents of a matchbox. vb11. (tr) to obtain or estimate a numerical average of12. (tr) to assess the general quality of13. (tr) to perform or receive a typical number of: to average eight hours’ work a day. 14. (tr) to divide up proportionately: they averaged the profits among the staff. 15. (tr) to amount to or be on average: the children averaged 15 years of age. 16. (Stock Exchange) (intr) stock exchange to purchase additional securities in a holding whose price has fallen (average down) or risen (average up) in anticipation of a speculative profit after further increases in price[C15 averay loss arising from damage to ships or cargoes (shared equitably among all concerned, hence the modern sense), from Old Italian avaria, ultimately from Arabic aw?r damage, blemish] ?averagely adv ?averageness nCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014av?er?age (?æv ?r ?d?, ?æv r?d?) n., adj., v. -aged, -ag?ing. n. 1. a. a quantity, rating, or the like that represents or approximates an arithmetic mean: a golf average in the 90’s. Compare grade point average. b. arithmetic mean. c. a number or value intermediate to a set of numbers or values. 2. a typical or usual amount, rate, degree, level, etc.; norm. adj. 3. of, pertaining to, or forming an average; estimated by average: the average rainfall. 4. typical; common; ordinary: the average person. v.t. 5. to find an average value for (a variable quantity); reduce to a mean. 6. (of a variable quantity) to have as an arithmetic mean: Wheat averages 56 pounds to a bushel. 7. to do or have on the average: to average seven hours of sleep a night. v.i. 8. to have or show an average. Idioms: on the or an average, usually; typically. [1485?95; late Middle English averay charge on goods shipped, orig. duty (