Bank Word Meaning

Middle English: from Old Norse bakki, of Germanic origin; related to bench. The senses ‘set of things in rows’ and ‘tier of oars’ are from French banc, of the same ultimate origin

the land alongside or sloping down to a river or lake

land alongside river or lake

• willows lined the bank of the stream

a long, high mass or mound of a particular substance

long, high mass or mound

• a grassy bank
• a bank of snow

a set of similar things, especially electrical or electronic devices, grouped together in rows

set of similar things

• the DJ had big banks of lights and speakers on either side of his console

the cushion of a pool table

cushion of pool table

• a bank shot

heap (a substance) into a mass or mound

heap substance into mass or mound

• the rain banked the soil up behind the gate
• snow was banked in humps at the roadside

(with reference to an aircraft or vehicle) tilt or cause to tilt sideways in making a turn

tilt sideways in making turn

• the plane banked as if to return to the airport
• I banked the aircraft steeply and turned

(of a locomotive) provide additional power for (a train) in ascending an incline

provide additional power for train

• he has built a four-cylinder locomotive for banking trains up the Lickey incline

(of an angler) succeed in landing (a fish)

manage to land fish

• it was the biggest rainbow trout that had ever been banked

(in pool) play (a ball) so that it rebounds off a surface such as a cushion

rebound pool ball off surface

• I banked the eight ball off two cushions