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rank

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noun British English pronunciation: rank /ræŋk/ 
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singularrank
pluralranks
  1. 1
    [countable/uncountable] someone’s official position in the armed forces, police, fire service etc

    Her rank when she retired was captain.

    rank of:

    He joined in 1998, and quickly rose to the rank of inspector.

    senior/junior rank:

    Let me speak to an officer of more senior rank.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  rankThesaurus entry for this meaning of rank
    1. a.
      someone’s position or job in an organization
      rank of:

      She had reached the rank of junior minister by the time she was 30.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  rankThesaurus entry for this meaning of rank
    2. b.
      someone’s status in society compared to the status of other people

      In the past, dress, speech, and table manners indicated social rank.

      people of high rank

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  rankThesaurus entry for this meaning of rank
  3. 3

    ranks

     [plural] all the people within a group, organization etc

    This reversal of policy touched off a violent dispute within the party ranks.

    join the ranks (of something):

    Another Republican senator joins the ranks of the presidential hopefuls.

    swell the ranks (=make a group bigger):

    The organization is looking for young people to swell their ranks.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  rankThesaurus entry for this meaning of rank
    1. a.

      the ranks

       all the members of a military organization who are not officers
      be reduced to the ranks (=have your officer rank taken away as a punishment):

      At the court-martial Captain Bomford was reduced to the ranks.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  rankThesaurus entry for this meaning of rank

This is the British English definition of rank. View American English definition of rank.

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