rank
1 (răngk)
[Middle English, line, row, from Old French ranc, renc, of Germanic origin.]
noun
- A relative position in a society.
- An official position or grade: the rank of sergeant.
- A relative position or degree of value in a graded group.
- High or eminent station or position: persons of rank.
- A row, line, series, or range.
- A line of soldiers, vehicles, or equipment standing side by side in close order.
- ranks. The armed forces.
- ranks. Personnel, especially enlisted military personnel.
- A body of people classed together; numbers: joined the ranks of the unemployed.
- Games Any of the rows of squares running crosswise to the files on a playing board in chess or checkers.
verb: ranked, rank·ing, ranks.
transitive verb
- To place in a row or rows.
- To give a particular order or position to; classify.
- To outrank or take precedence over.
intransitive verb
- To hold a particular rank: ranked first in the class.
- To form or stand in a row or rows.
- Slang
- To complain.
- To engage in carping criticism. Often used with on: Stop ranking on me all the time.
idioms
- pull rank
- To use one's superior rank to gain an advantage.
rank
2 (răngk)
[Middle English ranc, from Old English, strong, overbearing.]
adjective: rank·er, rank·est.
- Growing profusely or with excessive vigor: rank vegetation in the jungle.
- Yielding a profuse, often excessive crop; highly fertile: rank earth.
- Strong and offensive in odor or flavor.
- Conspicuously offensive: rank treachery. See synonyms at flagrant
- Absolute; complete: a rank amateur; a rank stranger.
derivatives
- ranḱly
- adverb
- ranḱness
- noun
