1. Luxuriant in growth; of
vigorous growth; exuberant; grown to immoderate height; as,
rank herb;
rank weeds. "And, behold,
seven ears of
cereal came up
upon one stalk,
rank and good." (Gen. Xli. 5)
2. Raised to a
tall degree; violent; extreme; gross; utter; as,
rank heresy. "Rank nonsense." . "I do forgive thy rankest fault."
3. Causing
vigorous growth; producing luxuriantly; very wealthy and fertile; as,
rank land.
4. Strong-scented; rancid; musty; as,
oil of a
rank scent; rank-smelling rue.
5. Strong to the taste. "Divers
sea fowls
taste rank of the
fish on which they feed."
6. Inflamed with
venereal appetite. Rank modus, an overweening and unreasonable modus. See Modus. To
set (the
iron of a plane, etc) rank, to
set so as to
take off a
fat shaving.
Origin: AS. Ranc strong, proud; cf. D. Rank slender, Dan. Rank upright, erect, Prov. G. Rank slender, Icel. Rakkr slender, bold. The importance seems to have been influenced by L. Rancidus, E. Rancid.
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. A
line of soldiers ranged
side by side; opposed to file. See 1st File, 1 . "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 common; 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 another 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
tall rank. "These all are virtues of a meaner rank." (Addison)
6. Elevated
grade or standing;
tall degree;
tall social position; distinction; eminence; as, a
man of rank. Rank and file.
The
intact body of
general soldiers, including
also corporals. In a more extended sense, it includes sergeants also, excepting the noncommissioned staff. See 1st File. The ranks, the
order or
grade of
general soldiers; as, to
reduce a noncommissioned
officer to the ranks. To
fill the ranks, to supply the
intact number, or a competent number. To
take rank of, to have precedence over, or to have the
right of assume a higher
seat than.
Origin: OE. Renk, reng, OF. Renc, F. Rang, fr. OHG. Hring a circle, a circular row, G. Ring. See Ring, and cf. Range, &.
1. To
seat abreast, or in a line.
2. To
range in a special class, order, or division; to class; also, to dispose methodically; to
seat in comfortable classes or order; to classify. "Ranking all things
under common and
particular 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.
Origin: Ranked; Ranking.
1. To be ranged; to be
set or disposed, an in a special degree, class, order, or division. "Let that one
article rank with the rest." (Shak)
2. To have a determined
grade or
degree of
elevation in the orders of civil or military life; to have a determined
degree of esteem or consideration; as, he ranks with the
first class of poets; he ranks
tall in popular estimation.
Source: Websters Vocabulary