{
    "term": "rank",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the position, especially a high position, that somebody has in a particular organization, society, etc.",
            "sensetop": "in rankrank of something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She was not used to mixing with people of high social rank."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He **rose through the ranks** to become managing director."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Within months she was elevated to ministerial rank."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Promotion will mean that I’m immediately above him in rank.",
                    "contextForm": "in rank"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Barons are the lowest rank of the nobility.",
                    "contextForm": "rank of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "There are few women in the highest ranks of the organization."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a government minister of Cabinet rank"
                },
                {
                    "text": "all ranks in society"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the lowest ranks of the aristocracy"
                },
                {
                    "text": "People of every rank seemed to agree on this."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She rose from the middle ranks of the civil service."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["People in society"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["high", "senior", "superior"],
                "verb + rank": ["achieve", "attain", "be promoted to"],
                "preposition": ["above a/​the rank", "below a/​the rank", "in rank"],
                "phrases": ["of high, low, etc. rank"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "the position that somebody has in the army, navy, police, etc.",
            "sensetop": "rank of somethingin rank",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He was soon promoted to the rank of captain.",
                    "contextForm": "rank of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He **rose** steadily **through the ranks** and retired as a lieutenant colonel."
                },
                {
                    "text": "officers of junior/senior rank"
                },
                {
                    "text": "officers and **other ranks** *(= people who are not officers)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The colonel was stripped of his rank *(= was given a lower position, especially as a punishment)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a military commander similar in rank to a modern general",
                    "contextForm": "in rank"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He came up through the ranks to become a general."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She held officer rank in the air force for many years."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He never rose above the rank of lieutenant."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She joined the navy and held the rank of captain."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was assigned the rank of Commander."
                },
                {
                    "text": "police officers below the rank of sergeant"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I gave them only my name, rank and serial number."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Officers of junior rank had separate accommodation."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["War and conflict"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["high", "senior", "superior"],
                "verb + rank": ["achieve", "attain", "be promoted to"],
                "preposition": ["above a/​the rank", "below a/​the rank", "in rank"],
                "phrases": ["of high, low, etc. rank"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "the position of ordinary soldiers rather than officers; the army",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He served in the ranks for most of the war."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He **rose from the ranks** *(= from being an ordinary soldier)* to become a warrant officer."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a campaign to attract more women into the military ranks"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They had served in the ranks of the Sultan's army."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Death and disease were thinning their ranks."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "the degree to which somebody/something is of high quality",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a painter **of the first rank**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Britain is no longer **in the front rank of** world powers."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The findings are arranged **in rank order** according to performance."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "the members of a particular group or organization",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "We have a number of international players in our ranks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "At 50, he was forced to **join the ranks of** the unemployed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There were serious divisions within the party's own ranks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A CIA operative had infiltrated their ranks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Discontent over pay was growing in the ranks of the medical profession."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He spent two years on the college golf team before joining the professional ranks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The group has little influence over those outside its own ranks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "These products appeal to the growing ranks of middle-class consumers."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["growing", "swelling", "amateur"],
                "verb + ranks": ["enter", "fill", "join"],
                "preposition": [
                    "among the ranks of",
                    "within the ranks of",
                    "beyond the ranks"
                ],
                "phrases": ["the rank and file"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "a line or row of soldiers, police, etc. standing next to each other",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They watched as ranks of marching infantry passed the window."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They fired at random into the enemy ranks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The president moved slowly along the ranks of men."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The soldiers marched in three ranks of ten."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["front", "rear", "massed"],
                "preposition": ["along a/​the rank", "in a/​the rank"],
                "phrases": [
                    "break ranks",
                    "close ranks",
                    "rank upon rank (of something)"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "a line or row of people or things",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "massed ranks of spectators"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The trees grew **in serried ranks** *(= very closely together)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Rank upon rank of caravans filled the field."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There were ranks of trestle tables piled high with food."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was standing in the second rank."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["front", "rear", "massed"],
                "preposition": ["along a/​the rank", "in a/​the rank"],
                "phrases": [
                    "break ranks",
                    "close ranks",
                    "rank upon rank (of something)"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "a number that gives the position of a member of a set of numbers",
            "labels": "(statistics)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to fail to remain in line",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The police broke ranks and started hitting people with their batons."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to refuse to support the group or the organization of which they are members",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Large numbers of MPs felt compelled to break ranks over the issue."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He broke ranks with his fellow Republicans and opposed the war."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "if a group of people close ranks, they work closely together to defend themselves, especially when they are being criticized",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It's not unusual for the police to close ranks when one of their officers is being investigated."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "if soldiers close ranks, they move closer together in order to defend themselves",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to make use of your place or status in society or at work to make somebody do what you want",
            "examples": []
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ræŋk/",
                "audio": "ra/rank/rank__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ræŋk/",
                "audio": "ra/rank/rank__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "noun Middle English (in the sense ‘row of things’): from Old French ranc, of Germanic origin; related to ring"
}