bank
bank Lexical Profile
bank Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A financial institution licensed to receive deposits, make loans, and provide related financial services, or the building in which such business is conducted.
"She went to the local bank to open a savings account and apply for a mortgage."
The sloping land alongside and bordering a river, stream, canal, or lake.
"We sat on the grassy bank of the river and watched the boats drift past."
A stored supply, reserve, or repository of something held for future use, such as blood, organs, seeds, or digital data.
"The hospital relies on donations to maintain an adequate blood bank for emergencies."
A long mound, pile, ridge, or mass of earth, snow, clouds, or submerged sand in the sea.
"A thick bank of fog rolled in from the ocean and obscured the coastline."
A set, row, or tier of similar objects, instruments, switches, or lights arranged together in a group.
"The technician monitored a large bank of video screens inside the broadcast control room."
• verb
To deposit money or valuables in a financial institution, or to maintain an account and conduct financial business with a specific bank.
"The company has banked with the same financial institution for over thirty years."
To rely, count, or depend confidently on someone or something (usually followed by 'on' or 'upon').
"We are banking on good weather for the outdoor graduation ceremony tomorrow."
To tilt or incline laterally when turning, or to cause an aircraft or vehicle to tilt inward along a curve.
"The pilot banked the aircraft sharply to the left to align with the runway."
To heap or pile up earth, snow, or clouds into a mound or ridge, or to cover a fire with ashes or fuel so that it burns slowly.
"Before going to sleep, they banked the cabin fire with fresh logs to keep the room warm overnight."
• Rhymes for bank
Word Origin & Etymology
The word represents a convergence of three distinct etymological paths sharing the Proto-Germanic root *bankiz ('bench' or 'shelf'): the financial sense comes from Old Italian banca ('moneychanger's table' or 'bench') via Middle French banque; the geographical sense ('riverbank' or 'mound') comes from Old Norse bakki ('ridge' or 'cloud-bank'); and the sense of a row or tier of objects comes from Old French banc ('bench').