a financial establishment that invests money deposited by customers, pays it out when required, makes loans at interest, and exchanges currency:I paid the money straight into my bank
a stock of something available for use when required:a blood bankbuilding a bank of test items is the responsibility of teachers
a site or receptacle where something may be stored:the computer’s memory bank
(the bank) the store of money or tokens held by the banker in some gambling or board games.
the person holding the store of money or tokens in a game; the banker.
British a site or receptacle where something may be deposited for recycling:a paper bank
verb
[with object]
deposit (money or valuables) in a bank:I banked the check
[no object] have an account at a particular bank:he did not bank with the old family banks
informal (especially of a competitor in a game or race) win or earn (a sum of money):he banked $100,000 for a hole-in-one
store (something, especially blood, tissue, or sperm) for future use:the sperm is banked or held in storage for the following spring
Phrases
break the bank
(in gambling) win more money than is held by the bank.
[usually with negative] informal cost more than one can afford:Christmas need not break the bank
Phrasal Verbs
bank on
base one’s hopes or confidence on:they can bank on my winning 25 games next year
Origin:
late 15th century (originally denoting a money dealer's table): from French banque or Italian banca, from medieval Latin banca, bancus, of Germanic origin; related to bank1 and bench
