Rank Definition
- To use one's superior rank to gain an advantage.
- to bring troops, etc. into close formation, as for defensive purposes
- to take advantage of one's military rank in enforcing commands or one's high position or seniority in making demands on (a subordinate)
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Rank
- pull rank
- close ranks
- pull (one's) rank on
Origin of Rank
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From Middle English rank (“strong, proud”), from Old English ranc (“proud, haughty, arrogant, insolent, forward, overbearing, showy, ostentatious, splendid, bold, valiant, noble, brave, strong, full-grown, mature”), from Proto-Germanic *rankaz (“straight”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“straight, direct”). Cognate with Dutch rank (“slender, slim”), Low German rank (“slender, projecting, lank”), Danish rank (“straight, erect, slender”), Swedish rank (“slender, shaky, wonky”), Icelandic rakkr (“straight, slender, bold, valiant”).
From Wiktionary
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Middle English rank (“line, row”), from Old French reng, rang, ranc (“line, row, rank”) (Modern French rang), from Frankish hring (“ring”), from Proto-Germanic *hringaz (“something bent or curved”), which is of uncertain origin.
From Wiktionary
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Akin to Old High German (h)ring, Old Frisian hring, Old English hring, hrincg (“ring”) (Modern English ring), Old Norse hringr (“ring, circle, queue, sword; ship”). More at ring.
From Wiktionary
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Middle English line, row from Old French ranc, renc of Germanic origin sker-2 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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Middle English ranc from Old English strong, overbearing reg- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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