Meaning & Definition of Rank in English

1. A row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another

• "The entrance was guarded by ranks of policemen"

2. Relative status

• "His salary was determined by his rank and seniority"

3. The ordinary members of an organization (such as the enlisted soldiers of an army)

• "The strike was supported by the union rank and file"

• "He rose from the ranks to become a colonel"

4. Position in a social hierarchy

• "The british are more aware of social status than americans are"

5. The body of members of an organization or group

• "They polled their membership"

• "They found dissension in their own ranks"

• "He joined the ranks of the unemployed"

1. Take or have a position relative to others

• "This painting ranks among the best in the western world"

2. Assign a rank or rating to

• "How would you rank these students?"

• "The restaurant is rated highly in the food guide"

3. Take precedence or surpass others in rank

1. Very fertile

• Producing profuse growth

• "Rank earth"

2. Very offensive in smell or taste

• "A rank cigar"

3. Conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible

• "A crying shame"

• "An egregious lie"

• "Flagrant violation of human rights"

• "A glaring error"

• "Gross ineptitude"

• "Gross injustice"

• "Rank treachery"

4. Complete and without restriction or qualification

• Sometimes used informally as intensifiers

• "Absolute freedom"

• "An absolute dimwit"

• "A downright lie"

• "Out-and-out mayhem"

• "An out-and-out lie"

• "A rank outsider"

• "Many right-down vices"

• "Got the job through sheer persistence"

• "Sheer stupidity"

5. Growing profusely

• "Rank jungle vegetation"