rank1

 
Pronunciation: /raŋk/

noun

  • 1a position in the hierarchy of the armed forces: an army officer of high rank he was promoted to the rank of Captain
  • a position within the hierarchy of an organization or society: only two cabinet members had held ministerial rank before
  • [mass noun] high social position: persons of rank and breeding
  • Statistics a number specifying position in a numerically ordered series.
  • (in systemic grammar) the level of a linguistic unit or set of linguistic units in relation to other sets in the hierarchy.
  • 2a single line of soldiers or police officers drawn up abreast: they were drawn up outside their barracks in long ranks
  • a regular row or line of things or people: conifer plantations growing in serried ranks
  • Chess each of the eight rows of eight squares running from side to side across a chessboard. Compare with file2.
  • Britishshort for taxi rank.
  • 3 (ranks) the people belonging to or constituting a group or class: the ranks of Britain’s unemployed
  • (the ranks) (in the armed forces) those who are not commissioned officers: he was fined and reduced to the ranks
  • 4 Mathematics the value or the order of the largest non-zero determinant of a given matrix.

verb

[with object and adverbial]
  • 1give (someone or something) a rank or place within a grading system: students ranked the samples in order of preference [with object and complement]: she is ranked number four in the world
  • [no object, with adverbial] have a specified rank or place within a grading system: he now ranks third in America
  • [with object] US take precedence over (someone) in respect of rank; outrank: the Secretary of State ranks all the other members of the cabinet
  • 2arrange in a row or rows: the tents were ranked in orderly rows

Phrases

break rank (or ranks)

(of soldiers or police officers) fail to remain in line.
fail to maintain solidarity: the government is prepared to break ranks with the Allied states

close ranks

(of soldiers or police officers) come closer together in a line.
unite in order to defend common interests: the family had always closed ranks in times of crisis

keep rank

(of soldiers or police officers) remain in line.

pull rank

take unfair advantage of one’s seniority: someone pulled rank and took my place

rise through (or from) the ranks

(of a private or a non-commissioned officer) receive a commission.
advance in an organization by one’s own efforts: he rose through the ranks to become managing director

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'row of things'): from Old French ranc, of Germanic origin; related to ring1