KING JAMES BIBLE DICTIONARY

RANK, the old preterit tense of ring. [Nearly obsolete.]

RANK'ED, participle passive Placed in a line; disposed in an order or class; arranged methodically.

RANK'ER, noun One that disposes in ranks; one that arranges.

RANK'ING, participle present tense Placing in ranks or lines; arranging; disposing in orders or classes; having a certain rank or grade.

RANK'LE, verb intransitive [from rank.]

1. To grow more rank or strong; to be inflamed; to fester; as a rankling wound.

A malady that burns and rankles inward.

2. To become more violent; to be inflamed; to rage; as rankling malice; rankling envy. Jealousy rankles in the breast.

RANK'LY, adverb

1. With vigorous growth; as, grass or weeks grow rankly

2. Coarsely; grossly.

RANK'NESS, noun

1. Vigorous growth; luxuriance; exuberance; as the rankness of plants or herbage.

2. Exuberance; excess; extravagance; as the rankness of pride; the rankness of joy.

3. Extraordinary strength.

The crane's pride is in the rankness of her wing.

4. Strong taste; as the rankness of flesh or fish.

5. Rancidness; rank smell; as the rankness of oil.

6. Excessiveness; as the rankness of a composition or modus.