Definition

1. Noun:

   • A line or row of people or things, especially soldiers or police, standing side by side: Refers to a formation where individuals are positioned abreast.
   • A position within a graded social or organizational hierarchy: Denotes one's level of status, authority, or seniority within a structured group.
   • The collective body of members within an organization or group, especially the ordinary members as opposed to the leadership: Often refers to the general membership or the enlisted soldiers in an army.

2. Verb:

   • To assign a relative position or standing within a graded system: To classify or order based on quality, importance, or achievement.
   • To hold a specific position in relation to others within such a system: To be classified or to stand at a particular level.
   • To take precedence over others in position or status: To outrank.

3. Adjective:

   • Growing excessively or with unchecked vigor: Describes vegetation that is lush, coarse, and often wild.
   • Complete, utter, and often used informally as an intensifier: Emphasizes the extreme or absolute nature of something, typically negative.
   • Having a strong, unpleasant smell or taste: Describes something foul-smelling or rancid.
   • Conspicuously and outrageously bad: Describes behavior or actions that are glaringly reprehensible.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The soldiers stood in neat ranks for inspection.
  • She achieved the rank of captain after years of service.
  • The new policy was unpopular with the rank and file of the union.

• Verb:

  • Critics rank this novel among the author's finest works.
  • This university ranks highly for scientific research.
  • A major ranks above a captain in the army.

• Adjective:

  • The garden was overgrown with rank weeds.
  • That was a rank lie, and everyone knew it.
  • The meat had a rank odor, indicating it had spoiled.

Advanced Usage

• "To pull rank": To use one's superior position or authority to gain an advantage or make someone obey.

  • The manager had to pull rank to get the project approved on time.

• "To break rank(s)": To fail to conform or to dissent from the group's position or discipline.

  • Several party members broke ranks and voted against the proposal.

• "To rise from the ranks": To advance to a position of leadership from an ordinary starting position within an organization.

  • The new CEO rose from the ranks, having started as a sales assistant.

Variants and Related Words

• Ranking (noun/adjective): The act of assigning positions; having a high position.
• Ranker (noun): A person who ranks things; (British) a commissioned officer who was formerly an enlisted soldier.
• Rankly (adverb): In a rank manner (e.g., growing rankly).

Synonyms

• Noun (position): Status, grade, level, standing, echelon.
• Verb (classify): Classify, rate, grade, order, position.
• Adjective (complete): Utter, absolute, sheer, downright, out-and-out.
• Adjective (foul): Rancid, putrid, foul, stinking.

Related Phrasal Verbs / Phrases

• Rank with: To be considered equal to or in the same category as.

  • This discovery ranks with the greatest scientific achievements of the century.

• Rank above/below: To have a higher or lower position than.

  • In terms of biodiversity, rainforests rank above all other terrestrial ecosystems.

Related Idioms

• The rank and file: The ordinary members of a large organization, as opposed to its leaders.

  • The decision was made by the executives without consulting the rank and file.

• Of the first rank: Of the highest quality or importance.

  • She is a scientist of the first rank.

Adjective

1. growing profusely
   • rank jungle vegetation
2. 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
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. very offensive in smell or taste
   • a rank cigar
5. very fertile; producing profuse growth
   • rank earth

Noun

1. 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
2. position in a social hierarchy
   • the British are more aware of social status than Americans are
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. relative status
   • his salary was determined by his rank and seniority
5. a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another
   • the entrance was guarded by ranks of policemen

Verb

1. take precedence or surpass others in rank
2. assign a rank or rating to
   • how would you rank these students?
   • The restaurant is rated highly in the food guide
3. take or have a position relative to others
   • This painting ranks among the best in the Western World