Class (kl&adot;s), n. [F. classe, fr. L. classis class, collection, fleet; akin to Gr. klh^sis a calling, kalei^n to call, E. claim, haul.] 1. A group of individuals ranked together as possessing common characteristics; as, the different classes of society; the educated class; the lower classes.

2. A number of students in a school or college, of the same standing, or pursuing the same studies.

3. A comprehensive division of animate or inanimate objects, grouped together on account of their common characteristics, in any classification in natural science, and subdivided into orders, families, tribes, genera, etc.

4. A set; a kind or description, species or variety.

She had lost one class energies.
Macaulay.

5. (Methodist Church) One of the sections into which a church or congregation is divided, and which is under the supervision of a class leader.

Class (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Classed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Classing.] [Cf. F. classer. See Class, n.] 1. To arrange in classes; to classify or refer to some class; as, to class words or passages.

&fist; In scientific arrangement, to classify is used instead of to class. Dana.

2. To divide into classes, as students; to form into, or place in, a class or classes.

Class, v. i. To grouped or classed.

The genus or famiky under which it classes.
Tatham.

• A group, collection, category or set sharing characteristics or attributes
        The new Ford Fiesta is set to be best in the 'small family' class
       :Often used to imply membership of a large class.
       :: This word has a whole class of metaphoric extensions.
  
• A social grouping, based on job, wealth, etc. In Britain, society is commonly split into three main classes; Upper Class, Middle Class and Working Class.
  
• The division of society into classes. Used without an article.
        Jane Austen's works deal with class in 18th-century England.
  
• Admirable behavior; elegance. Used without an article.
        Apologizing for losing your temper, even though you were badly provoked, showed real class.
  
• A group of students in a regularly scheduled meeting with a teacher. Used with or without an article.
        The class was noisy, but the teacher was able to get their attention with a story.
  
• A series of classes covering a single subject.
        I took the cooking class for enjoyment, but I also learned a lot.
  
• A group of students who commenced or completed their education during a particular year. A school class.
        The class of 1982 was particularly noteworthy.
  
• A category of seats in an airplane, train or other means of mass transportation.
       I used to fly business class, but now my company can only afford economy.
  
• (taxonomy) The classification below Phylum and above Order.
        Magnolias belong to class Magnoliopsida.
  
• (computing) A set of objects possibly differing in state but not behavior.
  
• (math) A collection of sets definable by a shared property.
        The class of all sets is not a set.
  
• To assign to a class.
        I would class this with most of the other mediocre works of the period.