Word for the day: bank

bank 1 |baŋk|                                                          *ribera (en Español)
DEFINITIONnoun
1 the land alongside or sloping down to a river or lake: willows lined the bank of the stream.2 a long, high mass or mound of a particular substance: a grassy bank | a bank of snow.• an elevation in the seabed or a riverbed; a mudbank or sandbank.• a transverse slope given to a road, railway, or sports track to enable vehicles or runners to maintain speed round a curve.• [ mass noun ] the sideways tilt of an aircraft when turning in flight: a rather steep angle of bank.3 a set of similar things, especially electrical or electronic devices, grouped together in rows: the DJ had big banks of lights and speakers on either side of his console.• a tier of oars.4 the cushion of a pool table.

verb [ with obj. ]1 heap (a substance) into a mass or mound: the rain banked the soil up behind the gate | snow was banked inhumps at the roadside.• [ no obj. ] form into a mass or mound: purple clouds banked up over the hills.• heap up (a fire) with tightly packed fuel so that it burns slowly: she banked up the fire.• edge or surround with a ridge or row of something: steps banked with pots of chrysanthemums.2 (with reference to an aircraft or vehicle) tilt or cause to tilt sideways in making a turn: [ no obj. ] : the plane banked as if to return to the airport | [ with obj. ] : I banked the aircraft steeply and turned.3 build (a road, railway, or sports track) higher at the outer edge of a bend to facilitate fast cornering.4 (often as nounbanking) Brit.(of a locomotive) provide additional power for (a train) in ascending an incline.5 (of an angler) succeed in landing (a fish): it was the biggest rainbow trout that had ever been banked.6 N. Amer.(in pool) play (a ball) so that it rebounds off a surface such as a cushion.
ORIGIN 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.

bank 2 |baŋk|                                                              *banco (en Español)
DEFINITIONnoun
a financial establishment that uses money deposited by customers for investment, pays it out when required, makes loans at interest, and exchanges currency: [ as modifier ] : a bank account.• a stock of something available for use when required: a blood bank | figurative : Britain has a bank of highly exportable skills.• a site or receptacle where something may be deposited for recycling: a paper bank.• (the bank) the store of money or tokens held by the banker in some gambling or board games.• the person holding the bank in some gambling or board games; the banker.

verb
[ with obj. ] deposit (money or valuables) in a bank.• [ no obj. ] have an account at a particular bank: the family has banked with Coutts for generations.• informal win or earn (a sum of money): he banked £100,000 for a hole-in-one.• store (something, especially blood, tissue, or sperm) for future use.
PHRASESbreak the bank (in gambling) win more money than is held by the bank. • [ usu. with negative ] informal cost more than one can afford: at £30, the shirts won't break the bank.
PHRASAL VERBSbank on rely on confidently: the prime minister cannot bank on their support.
ORIGIN late 15th cent. (originally denoting a money dealer's table): from French banque or Italian banca, from medieval Latin banca, bancus, of Germanic origin; related to bank1 and bench.

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