n.
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French renc, reng, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German hring ring ― more at RING
Date: 14th century
1 a : ROW , SERIES b : a row of people c (1) : a line of soldiers ranged side by side in close order (2) plural : ARMED FORCES (3) plural : the body of enlisted personnel d : any of the rows of squares that extend across a chessboard perpendicular to the files e British : STAND 6
2 a : relative standing or position b : a degree or position of dignity, eminence, or excellence : DISTINCTION <soon took rank as a leading attorney ― J. D. Hicks> c : high social position <the privileges of rank > d : a grade of official standing in a hierarchy
3 : an orderly arrangement : FORMATION
4 : an aggregate of individuals classed together ― usually used in plural
5 : the order according to some statistical characteristic (as the score on a test)
6 : any of a series of classes of coal based on increasing alteration of the parent vegetable matter, increasing carbon content, and increasing fuel value
7 : the number of linearly independent rows or columns in a matrix