rank

The word rank often deals with one's position or status in a group. In the military, an officer with a high rank will be in charge of soldiers of lower rank.

The noun rank refers to a position within a hierarchy, and to rank something is to put it in order — for example, your high school might rank students in terms of their GPAs. You can also use rank to describe an especially foul smell, like the rank gym shoes in the back of your closet. Linguists see the Old English ranc as having roots prior to the 11th century, possibly from the Old Norse rakkr, meaning "straight."

Primary Meanings of rank

1.
 nv
relative status
take or have a position relative to others
2.
 adj
very fertile; producing profuse growth
3.
 adj
very offensive in smell or taste
Full Definitions of rank
1

n relative status

“his salary was determined by his rank and seniority”
Types:
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first, number one
the first or highest in an ordering or series
second
following the first in an ordering or series
third
following the second position in an ordering or series
fourth
following the third position; number four in a countable series
fifth
position five in a countable series of things
sixth
position six in a countable series of things
seventh
position seven in a countable series of things
eighth
position eight in a countable series of things
ninth
position nine in a countable series of things
tenth
position ten in a countable series of things
eleventh
position 11 in a countable series of things
twelfth
position 12 in a countable series of things
thirteenth
position 13 in a countable series of things
fourteenth
position 14 in a countable series of things
fifteenth
position 15 in a countable series of things
sixteenth
position 16 in a countable series of things
seventeenth
position 17 in a countable series of things
eighteenth
position 18 in a countable series of things
nineteenth
position 19 in a countable series of things
twentieth
position 20 in a countable series of things
thirtieth
position 30 in a countable series of things
fortieth
position 40 in a countable series of things
fiftieth
position 50 in a countable series of things
sixtieth
position 60 in a countable series of things
seventieth
position 70 in a countable series of things
eightieth
position 80 in a countable series of things
ninetieth
position 90 in a countable series of things
hundredth
position 100 in a countable series of things
thousandth
position 1,000 in a countable series of things
millionth
position 1,000,000 in a countable series of things
billionth
position 1,000,000,000 in a countable series of things
last
the last or lowest in an ordering or series
grade, level, tier
a relative position or degree of value in a graded group
gradation, step
relative position in a graded series
second class
not the highest rank in a classification
military rank, military rating, paygrade, rating
rank in a military organization
archidiaconate
office or position of an archdeacon
baronetcy, barony
the rank or dignity or position of a baronet or baroness
dukedom
the dignity or rank or position of a duke
earldom
the dignity or rank or position of an earl or countess
kingship
the dignity or rank or position of a king
princedom
the dignity or rank or position of a prince
viscountcy, viscounty
the dignity or rank or position of a viscount or viscountess
former
the first of two or the first mentioned of two
latter
the second of two or the second mentioned of two
biosafety level
the level of safety from exposure to infectious agents; depends on work practices and safety equipment and facilities
cut
a step on some scale
A level
the advanced level of a subject taken in school (usually two years after O level)
GCSE, General Certificate of Secondary Education, O level
the basic level of a subject taken in school
college level
the level of education that college students are assumed to have attained
flag rank
the rank of a flag officer
Type of:
position, status
the relative position or standing of things or especially persons in a society

n position in a social hierarchy

Synonyms:
echelon, social rank, social station, social status
Types:
place, station
proper or designated social situation
quality
high social status
niche
a position particularly well suited to the person who occupies it
Type of:
position, status
the relative position or standing of things or especially persons in a society

n the body of members of an organization or group

“they found dissension in their own ranks”
“he joined the ranks of the unemployed”
Synonyms:
membership
Type of:
body
a group of persons associated by some common tie or occupation and regarded as an entity

n 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”
Synonyms:
rank and file
Type of:
force, personnel
group of people willing to obey orders

n a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another

“the entrance was guarded by ranks of policemen”
Type of:
line
a formation of people or things one beside another

v take or have a position relative to others

“This painting ranks among the best in the Western World”
Types:
come in, come out, place
take a place in a competition; often followed by an ordinal
come
have a certain priority
Type of:
be
have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)

v assign a rank or rating to

“how would you rank these students?”
Synonyms:
grade, order, place, range, rate
Types:
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superordinate
place in a superior order or rank
shortlist
put someone or something on a short list
seed
distribute (players or teams) so that outstanding teams or players will not meet in the early rounds
reorder
assign a new order to
subordinate
rank or order as less important or consider of less value
prioritise, prioritize
assign a priority to
sequence
arrange in a sequence
downgrade
rate lower; lower in value or esteem
upgrade
rate higher; raise in value or esteem
invert, reverse
reverse the position, order, relation, or condition of
countermarch
change the order of soldiers during a march
outclass
cause to appear in a lower class
Type of:
evaluate, judge, pass judgment
form a critical opinion of

v take precedence or surpass others in rank

Synonyms:
outrank
Type of:
excel, stand out, surpass
distinguish oneself
2

adj very fertile; producing profuse growth

“rank earth”
Synonyms:
fertile
capable of reproducing

adj growing profusely

“rank jungle vegetation”
Synonyms:
abundant
present in great quantity

adj complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers

“a rank outsider”
Synonyms:
absolute, downright, out-and-out, right-down, sheer
complete
having every necessary or normal part or component or step
3

adj very offensive in smell or taste

“a rank cigar”
Synonyms:
offensive
unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses

adj conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible

“rank treachery”
Synonyms:
crying, egregious, flagrant, glaring, gross
conspicuous
obvious to the eye or mind

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