Dictionary

1rank

adjective \ˈraŋk\

: having a strong, unpleasant smell

: very bad and obvious

: complete or total

Full Definition of RANK

1
:  luxuriantly or excessively vigorous in growth
2
:  offensively gross or coarse :  foul
3
obsolete :  grown too large
4
a :  shockingly conspicuous <must lecture him on his rank disloyalty — David Walden>
b :  outright —used as an intensive <rank beginners>
5
archaic :  lustful, ruttish
6
:  offensive in odor or flavor; especially :  rancid
8
:  high in amount or degree :  fraught
rank·ly adverb
rank·ness noun
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Origin of RANK

Middle English, from Old English ranc overbearing, strong; akin to Old Norse rakkr erect and perhaps to Old English riht right — more at right
First Known Use: 13th century

Synonym Discussion of RANK

malodorous, stinking, fetid, noisome, putrid, rank, fusty, musty mean bad-smelling. malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive <malodorous fertilizers>. stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting <prisoners were held in stinking cells> <the fetid odor of skunk cabbage>. noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive <a stagnant, noisome sewer>. putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter <the putrid smell of rotting fish>. rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell <rank cigar smoke>. fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age <a fusty attic> <the musty odor of a damp cellar>.

flagrant, glaring, gross, rank mean conspicuously bad or objectionable. flagrant applies usually to offenses or errors so bad that they can neither escape notice nor be condoned <flagrant abuse of the office of president>. glaring implies painful or damaging obtrusiveness of something that is conspicuously wrong, faulty, or improper <glaring errors>. gross implies the exceeding of reasonable or excusable limits <gross carelessness>. rank applies to what is openly and extremely objectionable and utterly condemned <rank heresy>.

Other Botany Terms

annual, burgeon, chloroplast, nomenclature, succulent, sylvan, xylem

2rank

noun

: a position in a society, organization, group, etc.

: a high position in a society, organization, group, etc.

ranks : the people or things that belong to a particular organization or group

Full Definition of RANK

1
a :  row, series
b :  a row of people
c (1) :  a line of soldiers ranged side by side in close order
(2) plural :  armed forces (3) plural :  the body of enlisted personnel
d :  any of the rows of squares that extend across a chessboard perpendicular to the files
e British :  stand 6
2
a :  relative standing or position
b :  a degree or position of dignity, eminence, or excellence :  distinction <soon took rank as a leading attorney — J. D. Hicks>
c :  high social position <the privileges of rank>
d :  a grade of official standing in a hierarchy
3
:  an orderly arrangement :  formation
4
:  an aggregate of individuals classed together —usually used in plural
5
:  the order according to some statistical characteristic (as the score on a test)
6
:  any of a series of classes of coal based on increasing alteration of the parent vegetable matter, increasing carbon content, and increasing fuel value
7
:  the number of linearly independent rows or columns in a matrix

Origin of RANK

Middle English, from Anglo-French renc, reng, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German hring ring — more at ring
First Known Use: 14th century

3rank

verb

: to place (someone or something) in a particular position among a group of people or things that are being judged according to quality, ability, size, etc.

: to have a particular position in a group of people or things that are being judged according to quality, ability, size, etc.

: to arrange (people or things) in a line or row

Full Definition of RANK

transitive verb
1
:  to arrange in lines or in a regular formation
2
:  to determine the relative position of :  rate <a highly ranked prospect>
3
:  to take precedence of
intransitive verb
1
:  to form or move in ranks
2
:  to take or have a position in relation to others <ranks first in her class>

First Known Use of RANK

1573
RANKNESS Defined for Kids

1rank

noun \ˈraŋk\

Definition of RANK for Kids

1
:  2row 1, series <ranks of houses>
2
:  a line of soldiers standing side by side
3
ranks plural :  the body of enlisted persons in an army
4
:  position within a group <Who is highest in rank in this office?>
5
:  high social position
6
:  official grade or position <the rank of major>

2rank

adjective

Definition of RANK for Kids

1
:  strong and active in growth <rank weeds>
2
:  2outright 1 <rank dishonesty>
3
:  having an unpleasant smell <The room was rank with smoke.>

3rank

verb
rankedrank·ing

Definition of RANK for Kids

1
:  to take or have a certain position in a group <He ranks near the top of the class.>
2
:  to arrange in a classification
3
:  to arrange in lines or in a formation

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