rank
 I. rank1 (răngk)n.
1.
a. A relative position in a society.
b. An official position or grade:
the rank of sergeant.
c. A relative position or degree of value in a graded group.
d. High or eminent station or position:
persons of rank.
2. A row, line, series, or range.
3.
a. A line of soldiers, vehicles, or equipment standing side by side in close order.
b. ranks The armed forces.
c. ranks Personnel, especially enlisted military personnel.
4. ranks A body of people classed together; numbers:
joined the ranks of the unemployed.
5. Games. Any of the rows of squares running crosswise to the files on a playing board in chess or checkers.v. ranked, rank·ing, ranksv. tr.
1. To place in a row or rows.
2. To give a particular order or position to; classify.
3. To outrank or take precedence over.v. intr.
1. To hold a particular rank:
ranked first in the class.
2. To form or stand in a row or rows.
3. Slang.
a. To complain.
b. To engage in carping criticism. Often used with on:
Stop ranking on me all the time.Idiom:pull rank
To use one's superior rank to gain an advantage. [Middle English, line, row, from Old French ranc, renc, of Germanic origin. See sker-2 in Indo-European Roots.] II. rank2 (răngk)adj. rank·er, rank·est
1. Growing profusely or with excessive vigor:
rank vegetation in the jungle.
2. Yielding a profuse, often excessive crop; highly fertile:
rank earth.
3. Strong and offensive in odor or flavor.
4. Conspicuously offensive:
rank treachery.
See Synonyms at flagrant.
5. Absolute; complete:
a rank amateur; a rank stranger. [Middle English ranc, from Old English, strong, overbearing. See reg- in Indo-European Roots.] rankʹly adv.rankʹness n.
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