/ flæŋk; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
the side of sth such as a building or mountain
2.
the left or right side of an army during a battle, or a sports team during a game
3.
the side of an animal between the ribs and the hip
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
be flanked by sb/sth to have sb/sth on one or both sides :
She left the courtroom flanked by armed guards.
2.
to be placed on one or both sides of sth :
They drove through the cotton fields that flanked Highway 17.
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WORD ORIGIN
late Old English , from Old French flanc , of Germanic origin.