/ bæŋk; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
FOR MONEY
1.
an organization that provides various financial services, for example keeping or lending money :
My salary is paid directly into my bank.
I need to go to the bank (= the local office of a bank) .
a bank loan
a bank manager
—see also investment bank , merchant bank
IN GAMBLING
2.
a supply of money or things that are used as money in some games, especially those in which gambling is involved
STH COLLECTED / STORED
3.
an amount of sth that is collected; a place where sth is stored ready for use :
a bank of knowledge
a blood / sperm bank
—see also databank
OF RIVER / CANAL
4.
the side of a river, canal , etc. and the land near it :
He jumped in and swam to the opposite bank.
It's on the north bank of the Thames.
a house on the banks of the River Severn (= on land near the river)
SLOPE
5.
a raised area of ground that slopes at the sides, often at the edge of sth or dividing sth :
There were low banks of earth between the rice fields.
The girls ran down the steep grassy bank.
6.
an artificial slope built at the side of a road, so that cars can drive fast around bends
OF CLOUD / SNOW, etc.
7.
a mass of cloud, snow, etc., especially one formed by the wind :
The sun disappeared behind a bank of clouds.
OF MACHINES, etc.
8.
a row or series of similar objects, especially machines :
a bank of lights / switches / computers
•
IDIOMS
- not break the bank
—more at laugh verb
■ verb
MONEY
1.
[ vn ] to put money into a bank account :
She is believed to have banked (= been paid) £10 million in two years.
2.
[ v ] bank (with / at ... ) to have an account with a particular bank :
The family had banked with Coutts for generations.
OF PLANE
3.
[ v ] to travel with one side higher than the other when turning :
The plane banked steeply to the left.
FORM PILES
4.
[ vn ] bank sth (up) to form sth into piles :
They banked the earth (up) into a mound.
A FIRE
5.
[ vn ] bank sth (up) to pile coal, etc. on a fire so that the fire burns slowly for a long time :
The fire was banked up as high as if it were midwinter.
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- bank on sb/sth
- bank up
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 4 to 8 and verb senses 3 to 5 Middle English : from Old Norse bakki , of Germanic origin; related to bench . The senses of is set of things in rows from French banc , of the same ultimate origin.
noun senses 1 to 3 and verb senses 1 to 2 late 15th cent. (originally denoting a money dealer's table): from French banque or Italian banca , from medieval Latin banca , bancus , of Germanic origin; related to other senses of bank and bench .