I. frank 1 /fræŋk/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: 'free, generous' , from Late Latin Francus 'Frank' (because the Franks, an ancient German people, were given political freedom in France) ]
1 . honest and truthful
be frank with somebody
He was completely frank with her about what happened.
be frank about something
She was quite frank about the whole thing.
frank discussion/interview/exchange of views etc
2 . to be frank spoken used when you are going to say something that is true, but which other people may not like:
To be perfectly frank, I think it’s a bad idea.
—frankness noun [uncountable]
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THESAURUS
■ not hiding the truth or the facts
▪ honest saying what you really think and not hiding the truth or the facts:
I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me.
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an honest answer
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To be honest, I didn’t think his speech was very good.
▪ straight informal honest and saying what you really think:
I can’t help you if you’re not straight with me.
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I need a straight answer.
▪ open willing to talk about what you think, feel etc in an honest way, rather than trying to hide it:
People have become more open about their feelings.
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She’s very easy to talk to because she’s so open.
▪ frank speaking honestly and directly about something, especially something that people find difficult to discuss:
In his book, he’s brutally frank about his experience with his illness.
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a frank discussion about sex
▪ direct saying exactly what you think in an honest clear way, even when this might annoy or upset people:
Not everyone liked his direct manner.
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She can be very direct.
▪ blunt speaking in a completely honest way, even if it upsets people, when it would be better to be more careful or polite:
Sorry if I was a bit blunt with you.
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His hard tone and blunt words were hurtful.
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She didn’t reply and I knew I had been too blunt.
▪ upfront [not before noun] informal talking and behaving in an honest way, even when it is difficult to do this, in a way that people respect:
It’s best to be upfront about your financial problems.
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You have to be upfront with kids.
▪ outspoken expressing your opinions publicly in a very direct way, which may offend or annoy some people:
an outspoken critic of the government
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He was known for his outspoken views on various controversies.
▪ forthright formal saying exactly what what you think, without being afraid of what other people will think:
The opposition have not come up with a clear forthright statement of their policies.
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At times, Helena was a little too forthright.
▪ candid formal honest about the facts, or about your opinions and feelings, even if other people disapprove of them:
He’d always been completely candid about his past.
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It was an unusually candid admission for a politician.
II. frank 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ frank 1 ]
to print a sign on an envelope showing that the cost of sending it has been paid ⇨ franking machine
III. frank 3 BrE AmE noun [countable] American English
[ Date: 1900-2000 ; Origin: frankfurter ]
a frankfurter