rank1
n.
- a position within a fixed hierarchy, especially that of the armed forces.
- high social standing.
- a single line of soldiers or police officers drawn up abreast.
▸a regular row or line of things or people.
-
(the ranks)
(in the armed forces) those who are not commissioned officers.
-
(ranks)
the people belonging to or constituting a group or class:
the ranks of the unemployed.
- Chess each of the eight rows of eight squares running from side to side across a chessboard. Compare with file2 (in sense 3).
- Brit. short for taxi rank.
- Mathematics the value or the order of the largest non-zero determinant of a given matrix.
v.
- give (someone or something) a rank within a grading system.
- hold a specified rank.
- US take precedence over (someone) in respect to rank.
- arrange in a row or rows.
Phrase
- break rank
(or ranks)
- (of soldiers or police officers) fail to remain in line.
- fail to maintain solidarity.
- close ranks
- (of soldiers or police officers) come closer together in a line.
- unite in order to defend common interests.
- pull rank
take unfair advantage of one's seniority.
Etymology
ME: from OFr. ranc, of Gmc origin; rel. to ring1.
rank2
adj.
- having a foul smell.
▸informal very unpleasant.
- (especially of something bad) complete; utter:
rank stupidity.
- (of vegetation) growing too thickly.
Derivative
Etymology
OE ranc ‘proud, rebellious, sturdy’, also ‘fully grown’, of Gmc origin.