Definition of "gradual" []

• Advancing or progressing by regular or continuous degrees: gradual erosion; a gradual slope. (adjective)
• Roman Catholic Church The liturgical book containing the chants for the Mass. (noun)
• Roman Catholic Church A biblical text sung between the Epistle and the Gospel of the Mass. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Also, President Bush touting what he calls gradual but important progress in Iraq and taking a swipe at Democratic calls for reducing troop levels, saying that would undermine the entire U.S. mission and adding, and I'm quoting now, "There are no shortcuts in Iraq.""
• "U.S. military sources tell us this morning, that indeed, over the last three months, actually, they have seen what they call a gradual increase in sniper activity."
• "During a visit to Saudi Arabia, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told some of the countrys business leaders to expect what he called a gradual recovery with more than the usual ups and downs and temporary reversals."