Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for bank

bank

1

[ bangk ]

noun

  1. a long pile or heap; mass:

    a bank of earth;

    a bank of clouds.

    Synonyms: dike, ridge, mound, embankment

  2. a slope or acclivity.
  3. Physical Geography. the slope immediately bordering a stream course along which the water normally runs.
  4. a broad elevation of the seafloor around which the water is relatively shallow but is not a hazard to surface navigation.
  5. Coal Mining. the surface around the mouth of a shaft.
  6. Also called cant, superelevation. the inclination of the bed of a banked road or railroad.
  7. Aeronautics. the lateral inclination of an aircraft, especially during a turn.
  8. Billiards, Pool. the cushion of the table.

verb (used with object)

  1. to border with or like a bank; embank:

    banking the river with sandbags at flood stage.

  2. to form into a bank or heap (usually followed by up ):

    to bank up the snow.

  3. to build (a road or railroad track) with an upward slope from the inner edge to the outer edge at a curve.
  4. Aeronautics. to tip or incline (an airplane) laterally.
  5. Billiards, Pool.
    1. to drive (a ball) to the cushion.
    2. to pocket (the object ball) by driving it against the bank.
  6. to cover (a fire) with ashes or fuel to make it burn long and slowly.

verb (used without object)

  1. to build up in or form banks, as clouds or snow.
  2. Aeronautics. to tip or incline an airplane laterally.
  3. Horology. (of a lever or balance) to be halted at either end of its oscillation by striking a pin or the like.
  4. (of a road or railroad track) to slope upward from the inner edge to the outer edge at a curve.

bank

2

[ bangk ]

noun

  1. an institution for receiving, lending, exchanging, and safeguarding money and, in some cases, issuing notes and transacting other financial business.
  2. the office or quarters of such an institution.
  3. Games.
    1. the stock or fund of pieces from which the players draw.
    2. the fund of the manager or the dealer.
  4. a special storage place:

    a blood bank; a sperm bank.

  5. a store or reserve.
  6. Obsolete.
    1. a sum of money, especially as a fund for use in business.
    2. a moneychanger's table, counter, or shop.

verb (used without object)

  1. to keep money in or have an account with a bank:

    Do you bank at the Village Savings Bank?

  2. to exercise the functions of a bank or banker.
  3. Games. to hold the bank.

verb (used with object)

  1. to deposit in a bank:

    to bank one's paycheck.

verb phrase

  1. to count on; depend on:

    You can bank on him to hand you a reasonable bill for his services.

bank

3

[ bangk ]

noun

  1. an arrangement of objects in a line or in tiers:

    a bank of seats; a bank of lights.

  2. Music. a row of keys on an organ.
  3. a row of elevator cars, as in a hotel or high-rise office building.
  4. a bench for rowers in a galley.
  5. a row or tier of oars.
  6. the group of rowers occupying one bench or rowing one oar.
  7. Printing.
    1. (formerly) a bench on which sheets are placed as printed.
    2. alsocalledcomma especially British, random. the sloping work surface at the top of a compositor's workbench.
    3. a table or rack on which type material is stored before being made up in forms.
  8. Also called deck. Journalism. a part of a headline containing one or more lines of type, especially a part that appears below the main part.
  9. Electricity. a number of similar devices connected to act together:

    a bank of transformers; a bank of resistors.

verb (used with object)

  1. to arrange in a bank:

    to bank the seats; to bank the lights.

bank

1

/ bæŋk /

noun

  1. an institution offering certain financial services, such as the safekeeping of money, conversion of domestic into and from foreign currencies, lending of money at interest, and acceptance of bills of exchange
  2. the building used by such an institution
  3. a small container used at home for keeping money
  4. the funds held by a gaming house or a banker or dealer in some gambling games
  5. in various games
    1. the stock, as of money, pieces, tokens, etc, on which players may draw
    2. the player holding this stock
  6. any supply, store, or reserve, for future use

    a data bank

    a blood bank

verb

  1. tr to deposit (cash, cheques, etc) in a bank
  2. intr to transact business with a bank
  3. intr to engage in the business of banking
  4. intr to hold the bank in some gambling games

bank

2

/ bæŋk /

noun

  1. a long raised mass, esp of earth; mound; ridge
  2. a slope, as of a hill
  3. the sloping side of any hollow in the ground, esp when bordering a river

    the left bank of a river is on a spectator's left looking downstream

    1. an elevated section, rising to near the surface, of the bed of a sea, lake, or river
    2. ( in combination )

      mudbank

      sandbank

    1. the area around the mouth of the shaft of a mine
    2. the face of a body of ore
  6. the lateral inclination of an aircraft about its longitudinal axis during a turn
  7. Also calledbankingcambercantsuperelevation a bend on a road or on a railway, athletics, cycling, or other track having the outside built higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force on vehicles, runners, etc, rounding it at speed and in some cases to facilitate drainage
  8. the cushion of a billiard table

verb

  1. whentr, often foll by up to form into a bank or mound
  2. tr to border or enclose (a road, etc) with a bank
  3. tr,sometimes foll byup to cover (a fire) with ashes, fresh fuel, etc, so that it will burn slowly
  4. to cause (an aircraft) to tip laterally about its longitudinal axis or (of an aircraft) to tip in this way, esp while turning
  5. to travel round a bank, esp at high speed
  6. tr billiards to drive (a ball) into the cushion

bank

3

/ bæŋk /

noun

  1. an arrangement of objects, esp similar objects, in a row or in tiers

    a bank of dials

    1. a tier of oars in a galley
    2. a bench for the rowers in a galley
  3. a grade of lightweight writing and printing paper used for airmail letters, etc
  4. telephony (in automatic switching) an assembly of fixed electrical contacts forming a rigid unit in a selector or similar device

verb

  1. tr to arrange in a bank

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of bank1

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English banke, bonke “(natural) ridge,” from Old Norse bakki “elevation, hill,” Swedish backe, Danish bakke, from unattested Germanic bank-ōn-; perhaps akin to Sanskrit bhañj- “bend,” Lithuanian bangà “a wave”; bank 3, bench

Origin of bank2

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French banque, from Italian banca “table, counter, moneychanger's table,” from Old High German bank bench

Origin of bank3

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English bank(e), from Old French banc “bench,” from Germanic; bank 1

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of bank1

C15: probably from Italian banca bench, moneychanger's table, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German banc bench

Origin of bank2

C12: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Icelandic bakki hill, Old Danish banke , Swedish backe

Origin of bank3

C17: from Old French banc bench, of Germanic origin; see bank 1

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with bank , also see break the bank ; laugh all the way to the bank .

Discover More

Synonym Study

See shore 1.

Discover More

Example Sentences

Because they could not obtain bank financing, the company’s founders believed their only option was borrowing from hard-money lenders at exorbitant rates.

From Fortune

The Fed prefers a little inflation because that gives the central bank more room to cut or raise short-term interest rates.

From Fortune

The actual total is probably higher because many banks eliminate staff without disclosing their plans.

From Fortune

Fraser, of course, will become the first woman chief executive of a big Wall Street bank in February.

From Fortune

Russak-Aminoach’s decision to join Team8 is a stark departure from her prior role leading a legacy bank that dates back to 1902.

From Fortune

One that they cannot cash in at the bank to pay for their flats.

A tugboat improbably sits high on the bank, obscured by tall grass, a broken oil rig hangs over the water nearby.

But just up the steep river bank and through the brush is an opening.

He was surprised that the central bank did not understand that.

At this point in his life, Denton has enough filthy lucre in his bank account to affect a certain lack of interest in the stuff.

In sorting notes it is necessary to be able readily to distinguish between notes of this bank and notes of other reserve banks.

Thus far Boston banks have received more benefits from this bank than have the other banks in this district.

The weed growing over every water, and at the bank of the river, shall be pulled up before all grass.

The dormant accounts most of the banks maintain with the reserve bank are, perhaps, indicative of their attitude toward it.

At the reserve bank they may borrow as a standing right and not as a favor which may be cut off.

Advertisement

Related Words

Discover More

More About Bank

What is a basic definition of ​bank?

The word bank is used as a noun to refer to a place where people deposit money or to a long mound or slope, like a riverbank. Bank is also used as a verb meaning to bounce off of something. The word bank is very common and has several other senses, as both a noun and a verb.

A bank is an institution that allows people to deposit money into an account (called a bank account) for safekeeping. Banks often offer many other money-related services such as lending money, sending money to other people, exchanging large bills for smaller bills, and providing credit cards. Physical buildings where these services are offered are called banks, and the companies that own and operate these institutions are also called banks. This kind of business is called banking, and a person who works in this business is called a banker.

  • Real-life examples: In the United States, major banks include Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Citibank. Examples of banks based in other countries include HSBC, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, and Bank of China.
  • Used in a sentence: I need to stop at the bank to get some money from my checking account. 

The noun bank is also used to refer to a long mound or slope.

  • Real-life examples: A riverbank is one of the two slopes bordering a river—the land that contains the river on each side. A snowbank is a big pile of snow that can pile up naturally or can be created by a shovel or snowplow.
  • Used in a sentence: Be careful when you walk along the banks of the river—it’s very muddy and slippery. 

As a verb, bank means to bounce or ricochet off of something, such as after falling or being thrown. This can happen with or without someone doing the banking. In basketball, a bank shot is a shot that the player banks off of the backboard instead of shooting the ball directly into the hoop.

  • Used in a sentence:
    • Sarah banked the crumpled ball of paper off the cabinet and into the trash can.
    • The acorn fell off the tree and banked off of my windshield.

Bank is also used in the phrase bank on, which means to expect, depend on, or count on something to happen or someone to do something.

  • Used in a sentence: You can always bank on Joe to help when no one else will.

Where does ​bank come from?

The first records of bank come from the late 1100s. The sense that refers to a mound or slope comes from the Old Norse bakki, which means “hill” and is related to similar Scandinavian words, such as the Swedish backe, the Danish bakke, and the Germanic bank-ōn.

The first records of bank referring to a place where money is kept come from the 1400s. This sense comes from the Italian banca, meaning a “moneychanger’s table.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to bank?

What are some synonyms for bank?

What are some words that share a root or word element with bank? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing bank?

How is bank used in real life?

Bank is a very common word that has many different meanings. Most commonly, it refers to the place where you deposit your money.

 

 

Try using ​bank!

True or False?

A bank of snow is a long pile of snow that has been gathered together.

Word of the Day

axolotl

[ak-suh-lot-l ]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

BanjulBanka

Browse

  • #
  • aa
  • bb
  • cc
  • dd
  • ee
  • ff
  • gg
  • hh
  • ii
  • jj
  • kk
  • ll
  • mm
  • nn
  • oo
  • pp
  • qq
  • rr
  • ss
  • tt
  • uu
  • vv
  • ww
  • xx
  • yy
  • zz