Tank

/tæŋk/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A large, heavy vehicle, often armed, designed for military operations.

The army deployed a tank to the battlefront.

A container for holding liquids, such as a water tank or fuel tank.

We need to refill the water tank before the summer.

An artificial environment for aquatic animals or plants, typically made of glass.

She has a beautiful fish tank in her living room.

verb

To store liquid in a tank or to put something into a tank.

We need to tank the fuel before the trip.

To fail or perform poorly, especially in a competition.

The team really tanked their performance this season.

From late Middle English, from tank ('cask, barrel', from Old French 'tanque', of uncertain origin).

tank up:

To fill up a fuel tank or to consume a large amount of food/drink.

in the tank:

Referring to something being in a depleted state.

tank you:

A playful misspelling of 'thank you'.

To fail or perform poorly.

The stock market really tanked this week.

To consume large quantities of food or drink.

We went to the buffet and just tanked.