rank

Symbol

rank

1. (mathematics) The symbol for rank.

Alternative forms

• ranck (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɹæŋk/

Adjective

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

1. Strong of its kind or in character; unmitigated; virulent; thorough; utter (used of negative things).
   • rank treason
   • rank nonsense
2. Strong in growth; growing with vigour or rapidity, hence, coarse or gross.
   • rank grass
   • rank weeds
3. Suffering from overgrowth or hypertrophy; plethoric.
4. Causing strong growth; producing luxuriantly; rich and fertile.
   • rank land
5. Strong to the senses; offensive; noisome.
6. Having a very strong and bad taste or odor.
   • Synonyms: stinky, smelly, (UK) pongy
   • Your gym clothes are rank, bro – when'd you last wash 'em?
7. Complete, used as an intensifier (usually negative, referring to incompetence).
   • Synonyms: complete, utter
   • I am a rank amateur as a wordsmith.
8. (informal) Gross, disgusting.
9. (obsolete) Strong; powerful; capable of acting or being used with great effect; energetic; vigorous; headstrong.
10. (obsolete) lustful; lascivious

Adverb

rank (comparative more rank, superlative most rank)

1. (obsolete) Quickly, eagerly, impetuously.

Noun

rank (countable and uncountable, plural ranks)

1. A row of people or things organized in a grid pattern, often soldiers.
   • Antonym: file
   • The front rank kneeled to reload while the second rank fired over their heads.
2. (chess) One of the eight horizontal lines of squares on a chessboard (i.e., those identified by a number).
   • Antonym: file
3. (music) In a pipe organ, a set of pipes of a certain quality for which each pipe corresponds to one key or pedal.
4. One's position in a list sorted by a shared property such as physical location, population, or quality.
   • Based on your test scores, you have a rank of 23.
   • The fancy hotel was of the first rank.
5. The level of one's position in a class-based society.
6. (typically in the plural) A category of people, such as those who share an occupation or belong to an organisation.
   • a membership drawn from the ranks of wealthy European businessmen
7. A hierarchical level in an organization such as the military.
   • Private First Class (PFC) is the second-lowest rank in the Marines.
   • He rose up through the ranks of the company, from mailroom clerk to CEO.
8. (taxonomy) A level in a scientific taxonomy system.
   • Phylum is the taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class.
9. (mathematics) The dimensionality of an array (computing) or tensor.
10. (linear algebra) The maximal number of linearly independent columns (or rows) of a matrix.
11. (algebra) The maximum quantity of D-linearly independent elements of a module (over an integral domain D).
12. (mathematics) The size of any basis of a given matroid.

Verb

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

1. To place abreast, or in a line.
2. To have a ranking.
   • Their defense ranked third in the league.
3. To assign a suitable place in a class or order; to classify.
4. (US) To take rank of; to outrank.

Anagrams

• ARNK, Karn, karn, knar, kran, nark

Pronunciation

• IPA: /rɑŋk/
• Hyphenation: rank

Adjective

rank (comparative ranker, superlative rankst)

1. slender, svelte

Noun

rank f (plural ranken, diminutive rankje n)

1. tendril, a thin winding stem
2. name of various vines
3. an object or ornamental pattern resembling a stem

Anagrams

• karn

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ʁaŋk/

Adjective

rank (strong nominative masculine singular ranker, comparative ranker, superlative am ranksten)

1. (poetic, dated, except in the phrase rank und schlank) lithe, lissome

Verb

rank

1. singular imperative of ranken