Words / B2

NOCH/nɒtʃ/

A notch is a V-shaped cut, or a level on a scale: a notch above; cut a notch. Grade is more formal for exam ranks; nick is a small cut. Results sat a notch above last year. Mix-up: note is writing; nought is zero (UK). Do not write notch for a whole grade boundary without a comparison.

Meaning

A V-shaped cut; also a level on a scale (a notch above).

Examples

• “Results sat a notch above last year’s cohort, the dashboard showed.”
• “Cut a notch in the sample stick so the tide line is visible, which is the physical sense.”

Good to know

a notch above / below; cut a notch. Formal twin: grade / level. Trap: note / nought. Data comments and fieldwork. A step up, or a small cut.

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