RANK

rank

(adjective) growing profusely; “rank jungle vegetation”

absolute, downright, out-and-out, rank, right-down, sheer

(adjective) complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers; “absolute freedom”; “an absolute dimwit”; “a downright lie”; “out-and-out mayhem”; “an out-and-out lie”; “a rank outsider”; “many right-down vices”; “got the job through sheer persistence”; “sheer stupidity”

egregious, crying(a), flagrant, glaring, gross, rank

(adjective) conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible; “a crying shame”; “an egregious lie”; “flagrant violation of human rights”; “a glaring error”; “gross ineptitude”; “gross injustice”; “rank treachery”

rank

(adjective) very fertile; producing profuse growth; “rank earth”

rank

(adjective) very offensive in smell or taste; “a rank cigar”

membership, rank

(noun) the body of members of an organization or group; “they polled their membership”; “they found dissension in their own ranks”; “he joined the ranks of the unemployed”

rank

(noun) a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another; “the entrance was guarded by ranks of policemen”

rank

(noun) relative status; “his salary was determined by his rank and seniority”

rate, rank, range, order, grade, place

(verb) assign a rank or rating to; “how would you rank these students?”; “The restaurant is rated highly in the food guide”

rank, outrank

(verb) take precedence or surpass others in rank

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology 1

Adjective

rank (comparative ranker or more rank, superlative rankest or most rank)

Strong of its kind or in character; unmitigated; virulent; thorough; utter (used of negative things).

Strong in growth; growing with vigour or rapidity, hence, coarse or gross.

Suffering from overgrowth or hypertrophy; plethoric.

Causing strong growth; producing luxuriantly; rich and fertile.

Strong to the senses; offensive; noisome.

Having a very strong and bad taste or odor.

Synonyms: stinky, smelly, pong (UK)

Complete, used as an intensifier (usually negative, referring to incompetence).

Synonyms: complete, utter

(informal) Gross, disgusting.

(obsolete) Strong; powerful; capable of acting or being used with great effect; energetic; vigorous; headstrong.

(obsolete) Inflamed with venereal appetite; ruttish.

Adverb

rank (comparative more rank, superlative most rank)

(obsolete) Quickly, eagerly, impetuously.

Etymology 2

Noun

rank (countable and uncountable, plural ranks)

A row of people or things organized in a grid pattern, often soldiers [the corresponding term for the perpendicular columns in such a pattern is "file"].

(music) In a pipe organ, a set of pipes of a certain quality for which each pipe corresponds to one key or pedal.

One's position in a list sorted by a shared property such as physical location, population, or quality

The level of one's position in a class-based society

a hierarchical level in an organization such as the military

(taxonomy) a level in a scientific taxonomy system

(linear algebra) Maximal number of linearly independent columns (or rows) of a matrix.

(mathematics) The dimensionality of an array (computing) or tensor.

(algebra) The maximum quantity of D-linearly independent elements of a module (over an integral domain D).

(mathematics) The size of any basis of a given matroid.

(chess) one of the eight horizontal lines of squares on a chessboard (i.e, those identified by a number). The analog vertical lines are the files.

(typically in the plural) A category of people, such as those who share an occupation.

Verb

rank (third-person singular simple present ranks, present participle ranking, simple past and past participle ranked)

To place abreast, or in a line.

To have a ranking.

To assign a suitable place in a class or order; to classify.

(US) To take rank of; to outrank.

Anagrams

• ARNK, Karn, karn, knar, kran, nark

Source: Wiktionary


Rank, a. [Compar. Ranker; superl. Rankest.] Etym: [AS. ranc strong, proud; cf. D. rank slender, Dan. rank upright, erect, Prov. G. rank slender, Icel. rakkr slender, bold. The meaning seems to have been influenced by L. rancidus, E. rancid.]

1. Luxuriant in growth; of vigorous growth; exuberant; grown to immoderate height; as, rank grass; rank weeds. And, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. Gen. xli. 5.

2. Raised to a high degree; violent; extreme; gross; utter; as, rank heresy. "Rank nonsense." Hare. "I do forgive thy rankest fault." Shak.

3. Causing vigorous growth; producing luxuriantly; very rich and fertile; as, rank land. Mortimer.

4. Strong-scented; rancid; musty; as, oil of a rank smell; rank- smelling rue. Spenser.

5. Strong to the taste. "Divers sea fowls taste rank of the fish on which they feed." Boyle.

6. Inflamed with venereal appetite. [Obs.] Shak. Rank modus (Law), an excessive and unreasonable modus. See Modus, 3.

– To set (the iron of a plane, etc.) rank, to set so as to take off a thick shaving. Moxon.

Rank, adv.

Definition: Rankly; stoutly; violently. [Obs.] That rides so rank and bends his lance so fell. Fairfax.

Rank, n. Etym: [OE. renk, reng, OF. renc, F. rang, fr. OHG. hring a circle, a circular row, G. ring. See Ring, and cf. Range, n. & v.]

1. A row or line; a range; an order; a tier; as, a rank of osiers. Many a mountain nigh Rising in lofty ranks, and loftier still. Byron.

2. (Mil.)

Definition: A line of soldiers ranged side by side; -- opposed to file. See 1st File, 1 (a). Fierce, fiery warriors fought upon the clouds, In ranks and squadrons and right form of war. Shak.

3. Grade of official standing, as in the army, navy, or nobility; as, the rank of general; the rank of admiral.

4. An aggregate of individuals classed together; a permanent social class; an order; a division; as, ranks and orders of men; the highest and the lowest ranks of men, or of other intelligent beings.

5. Degree of dignity, eminence, or excellence; position in civil or social life; station; degree; grade; as, a writer of the first rank; a lawyer of high rank. These all are virtues of a meaner rank. Addison.

6. Elevated grade or standing; high degree; high social position; distinction; eminence; as, a man of rank. Rank and file. (a) (Mil.) The whole body of common soldiers, including also corporals. In a more extended sense, it includes sergeants also, excepting the noncommissioned staff. (b) See under 1st File.

– The ranks, the order or grade of common soldiers; as, to reduce a noncommissioned officer to the ranks.

– To fill the ranks, to supply the whole number, or a competent number.

– To take rank of, to have precedence over, or to have the right of taking a higher place than.pull rank, to insist on one's own prerogative or plan of action, by right of a higher rank than that of one suggesting a different plan

Rank, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ranked; p. pr. & vb. n. Ranking,]

1. To place abreast, or in a line.

2. To range in a particular class, order, or division; to class; also, to dispose methodically; to place in suitable classes or order; to classify. Ranking all things under general and special heads. I. Watts. Poets were ranked in the class of philosophers. Broome. Heresy is ranked with idolatry and witchcraft. Dr. H. More.

3. To take rank of; to outrank. [U.S.]

Rank, v. i.

1. To be ranged; to be set or disposed, an in a particular degree, class, order, or division. Let that one article rank with the rest. Shak.

2. To have a certain grade or degree of elevation in the orders of civil or military life; to have a certain degree of esteem or consideration; as, he ranks with the first class of poets; he ranks high in public estimation.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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