brank
brank
B b Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
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- [brangk]
- /bræŋk/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [brangk]
- /bræŋk/
Definitions of brank word
- verb brank (esp of horses) to prance or strut 3
- noun brank a device formerly used to punish women judged to be noisy and quarrelsome, consisting of an iron curb for the tongue, held in place by a frame around the head 3
- verb without object brank to hold up and toss the head, as a horse when spurning the bit or prancing. 1
- verb without object brank to bridle; restrain. 1
- noun brank (usually in the plural) A metal bridle formerly used as a torture device to hold the head of a scold and restrain the tongue. 0
- noun brank (Obsolete (No longer in use)) (Britain, Scotland, dialect, usually in the plural) A sort of bridle with wooden side pieces. 0
Information block about the term
Origin of brank
First appearance:
before 1500 One of the 26% oldest English words
1500-50; (def 1) of uncertain origin; possibly related to German prangen “to adorn oneself, brag”; compare Middle High German brangen, brankieren; possibly 1550-1600; (def 2) of uncertain origin; probably a back formation from Scots branks “a bridle for restraining a scold”
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Brank
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
brank popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 71% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
According to our data about 61% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.