I. ˈfraŋk, -aiŋk noun
( -s )
Usage: capitalized
Etymology: Middle English Frank, Franc, partly from Old English Franca; partly from Old French Franc, from Late Latin Francus, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German Franko Frank, Old English Franca
1. : a member of one of the West Germanic peoples entering the Roman provinces in A.D.253, occupying the Netherlands and most of Gaul, and shortly afterward establishing themselves in two divisions along the lower and middle Rhine
2. : a western European
Europeans are still called Franks in the Levant — Emil Lengyel
II. adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French franc, from Medieval Latin francus, from Late Latin Francus, n., Frank
1. obsolete
a. : free from bondage or restraint
b. : free of charge or other conditions : unconditional
2. archaic : liberal , generous , profuse
3. obsolete
a. : superior in quality or strength
b. : luxuriant , rank , vigorous
4.
a. : marked by free unrestrained willing expression of facts, opinions, or feelings without reticence, inhibition, or concealment
forthright comments from a frank critic
a kindly but frank warning
most frank in his confession of entire disbelief in the legends which … almost all thought it decent to pretend to credit — J.A.Froude
b. : marked by or suggestive of freedom and honesty in expression : lacking concealment, dissembling, or guile
suspicion or hostility dispelled by a frank smile
5.
a. : lacking disguise or masking : bluntly or honestly avowed : downright and clearly obvious : sheer and utter without reservation, mitigation, or inhibition
the mixture of the idea of evolution with the frank materialism of Haeckel and the subtle agnosticism of Huxley — R.W.Murray
her mouth was painted ripely with mauve as if in frank appeal to be kissed — Edmund Wilson
b. medicine : unmistakable , manifest : clinically evident
frank pus
frank anemia
Synonyms:
candid , open , plain : frank may suggest a willingness to express oneself in a free and forthright way, without reservations or modifications brought about by timidity, evasiveness, or tact
intelligent enough to realize just what all the theorists of his age were actually doing, and frank enough to announce it openly — J.H.Randall
I have now told you everything without an attempt of circumlocution or concealment. Do you in your turn be as frank with me — A. Conan Doyle
his notorious comment — which the American democrat has never forgiven him, “The people! — the people is a great beast!” — was characteristically frank — V.L. Parrington
candid may suggest a sincerity and honesty marked by straightforward expression without evasion or expedient reservation
I am sure that he was candid with me. I am certain that he had no guile — W.A.White
as a leader of our party for 10 years I have never lacked candid critics in my own ranks — Clement Attlee
open may imply an inclination to ready, free, natural, honest expression lacking concealment or reserve
wished her children would be more open with her and not have so many secrets among themselves
the absurdity of her remark moved him to open taunts
plain may stress simple straightforward expression not mollified by tact or complicated by erudite language
the admiral … made the following signal in plain language: “Will be compelled to return fire” — Emil Lengyel
the difference between ordinary phraseology that makes its meaning plain and legal phraseology that makes its meaning certain — Ernest Gowers
III. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1.
a. : to mark (a piece of mail) with an official signature indicating the right of the sender to free mailing
b. : to mark (mail) with a sign indicating the right of the sender to exemption from postage
c. : to send by mail at no expense to the sender
d. : to affix to (mail) a stamp or a marking indicating the payment of postage : put a postage stamp on
a cover franked with two 3-cent stamps
he franked his business mail with meter impressions
e. : to label (mail) as having the postage paid
a commemorative stamp franked the letter
f. : to mark (mail) with a postal marking of any kind
2. : to facilitate the passage of : help forward : enable to pass or go freely or easily
3. : to make immune (as by a pass inscribed with an official signature) : exempt , free
court functionaries drew up in motorcars to my hotel, and presented me with a case all over seals and imperial devices franking me through the customs houses of the universe — W.J.Locke
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: frank (III)
1.
a. : the signature of the sender on a piece of franked mail serving in place of a postage stamp
b. : a mark or stamp on a piece of mail indicating postage paid
a meter frank on business mail
c. : a franked envelope or cover
2. : the privilege of sending mail free of charge
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French franc pigsty, from Old Low Franconian hranne, chramne; akin to Old Saxon hrama frame, and perhaps to Greek kremannynai to hang — more at cremaster
obsolete : a sty for boars
VI. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English franken, from frank (V)
obsolete : to shut up (a boar) in a frank especially for fattening
VII. noun
( -s )
Etymology: frank (VI) ; from its fattening properties
obsolete : spurry
VIII. ˈfraŋk, -raaŋk noun
( -s )
Etymology: imitative of its cry
dialect Britain : a common European heron ( Ardea cinerea )
IX. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: origin unknown
: to join or frame together (as molded sash bars) by mitering to the depth of the molding and cutting off the rest of each abutting piece square or finishing with a mortise-and-tenon joint
X. noun
( -s )
Etymology: German & Flemish, from French franc — more at franc
: franc 2b
XI. noun
( -s )
Etymology: by shortening
: frankfurter