- rank
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 level of importanceADJECTIVE▪ high, senior, superior, top, upper▪ middle▪ inferior, junior, low▪
the lowest ranks of the army
▪ first, second▪He is in the first rank of designers.
▪ social▪ Cabinet, ministerial (BrE)▪a politician of Cabinet rank
VERB + RANK▪ achieve, attain, be promoted to, get to, reach, rise to▪She joined the navy, where she rose to the rank of captain.
▪ have, hold▪He held officer rank in the air force for many years.
▪ assign sb, award sb▪He was assigned the rank of Commander.
▪ be stripped of▪He was stripped of his rank by a military court.
PREPOSITION▪ above a/the rank▪He never rose above the rank of lieutenant.
▪ below a/the rank▪police officers below the rank of sergeant
▪ in rank▪He is higher in rank than I am.
▪ rank in▪all ranks in society
▪ rank of▪She reached the rank of captain.
PHRASES▪ of high, low, etc. rank▪officers of senior rank
2 group of things/peopleADJECTIVE▪ front, rear▪a poet who belongs in the front rank of Latin American literature (figurative)
▪ massed, serried (both esp. BrE)▪the serried ranks of hotel staff
PREPOSITION▪ along a/the rank▪The president moved slowly along the ranks of men.
▪ in a/the rank▪He was standing in the second rank.
▪The soldiers marched in three ranks of ten.
PHRASES▪ break ranks (= to leave a line of soldiers, police, etc.)▪The police broke ranks and started hitting people with their batons.
▪He broke ranks with his fellow Republicans and opposed the war. (figurative)
▪ close ranks (figurative)▪When the establishment is attacked, it closes ranks.
(= unites to protect itself)▪ rank upon rank (of sth)▪Rank upon rank of caravans filled the field.
3 ranks members of a large groupADJECTIVE▪ growing, swelling▪These products appeal to the growing ranks of middle-class consumers.
▪ amateur, pro (AmE), professional (all sports)▪He spent two years on the college golf team before joining the professional ranks.
VERB + RANKS▪ enter, fill, join, swell▪More women are now filling the ranks of the medical profession.
▪Each month thousands more swell the ranks of the unemployed.
▪ be admitted into, be admitted to▪ infiltrate▪A CIA operative had infiltrated their ranks.
▪ deplete, thin▪Death and disease were thinning their ranks.
▪ serve in▪They had served in the ranks of the army.
▪ climb, come up from, come up through, rise from, rise through▪He came up through the ranks to become a general.
PREPOSITION▪ among the ranks of, within the ranks of▪There is much disaffection among the ranks of the party.
▪ beyond the ranks, outside the ranks▪The group has little influence over those outside its own ranks.
▪ in the ranks▪There are few women in the highest ranks of the organization.
PHRASES▪ the rank and file▪Communication worked well at management level, but didn't always make it down to the rank and file.
◆◆◆NOTE: Ranks in the armed forces▪ an air force … , an army … , a navy …▪an air force/an army sergeant
▪an army/a navy captain
▪ air marshal, field marshal (both in the UK), a naval captain/commander/lieutenant/officer▪a handsome young naval officer
▪ have/hold the rank of … , serve as …▪She joined the navy and held the rank of captain.
▪He served as a lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
▪ be appointed … , become … , be made …▪He became a colonel at the age of 40.
▪She ought to have been made sergeant by now.
▪ under …▪383 men under General Miles attacked the camp.
▪ the rank of …▪{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}She was promoted to the rank of colonel.
verbADVERB▪ high, highly, low▪These subjects ranked low for most students.
▪high-ranking officials
PREPOSITION▪ above▪She ranks above any other musician of her generation.
▪ ahead of▪The dandelion ranks ahead of both broccoli and spinach in nutritional value.
▪ alongside▪This city ranks alongside London as one of the great tourist attractions of the world.
▪ among▪He ranks among the greatest boxers of all time.
▪ as▪Their performance ranks as the best of the year.
▪ below▪ with▪This ranks with the great paintings of the 19th century.
▪ according to, by▪The children were ranked according to academic ability.
PHRASES▪ be nationally ranked (AmE)▪We beat a nationally ranked team.
▪ be ranked number two, three, etc., rank number two, three, etc., rank second, third, etc.▪the tennis player ranked number two in the world
▪The company ranks second among food manufacturers.
▪ rank sth in order of sth▪ranked in order of size
▪ rank in the top 10, 100, etc.▪She is now ranked in the top five hockey players in Britain.
Rank is used with these nouns as the object: ↑site{{Roman}}III.{{/Roman}}adj.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
