qualifying

verb

1. (form-of, gerund, participle, present)present participle and gerund of qualify

noun

1. (form-of, noun-from-verb)verbal noun of qualify
2. A qualification or added condition.

   “No expostulations! No buts, girl! No qualifyings, I will be obeyed, I tell you; and chearfully too!”

3. An examination that must be taken in order to qualify.

   “Despite possible lore among graduate students to the contrary, most faculty members dread having to fail a student in the qualifyings.”

4. A preliminary competition in which successful competitors gain entry into, and/or a favourable starting position in, a subsequent competition.

   “McLaren driver Hamilton was never in contention after making a disastrous mistake to crash out in qualifying and then starting at the back of the grid after a penalty for changing his gearbox.”

   “Wales claimed their first points in Euro 2012 qualifying with a morale-boosting victory in Cardiff over former Group G joint leaders Montenegro.”