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frank
frank1 / frangk/ • adj. open, honest, and direct in speech or writing, esp. when dealing with unpalatable matters: a long and frank discussion to be perfectly frank, I don't know. ∎ open, sincere, or undisguised in manner or appearance: Katherine saw her look at Sam with frank admiration. ∎ Med. unmistakable; obvious: frank ulceration. DERIVATIVES: frank·ness n. frank2 • v. [tr.] (often be franked) stamp an official mark on (a letter or parcel), esp. to indicate that postage has been paid or does not need to be paid. ∎ hist. sign (a letter or parcel) to ensure delivery free of charge. ∎ archaic facilitate or pay the passage of (someone): English will frank the traveler through most of North America. • n. an official mark or signature on a letter or parcel, esp. to indicate that postage has been paid or does not need to be paid. DERIVATIVES: frank·er n. frank3 • n. short for frankfurter. |
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Cite this article
"frank." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "frank." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-frank010.html "frank." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-frank010.html |
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Frank
Frank a member of a Germanic people that conquered Gaul in the 6th century and controlled much of western Europe for several centuries afterwards. Also (in the eastern Mediterranean region), a person of western European nationality or descent.
The name is recorded from Old English (in form Franca) and is of Germanic origin, perhaps from the name of a weapon and related to Old English franca ‘javelin’; it is ultimately related to France and French. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Frank." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Frank." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Frank.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Frank." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Frank.html |
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Frank
Frank ♂ Of Germanic origin. The name referred originally to a member of the tribe of the Franks, who are said to have got the name from a characteristic type of spear that they used. When the Franks migrated into Gaul in the 4th century, the country received its modern name of France (Late Latin Francia) and the tribal term Frank came to mean ‘Frenchman’. The name is now also used as a short form of Francis or Franklin.
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Cite this article
PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Frank." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Frank." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Frank1.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Frank." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Frank1.html |
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Frank
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "Frank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "Frank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-Frank.html T. F. HOAD. "Frank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-Frank.html |
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frank
frank †free XIII; bounteous, generous; †of superior quality XV; ingenuous, candid XVI. — (O)F. franc :- medL. francus free, indentical with the ethnic name (see FRANK), which acquired the sense ‘free’ because in Frankish Gaul full freedom was possessed only by those belonging to or adopted by the dominant people.
Hence (from the sense †‘free of charge’ of the adj.) vb. superscribe (a letter, etc.) with one's signature to ensure free conveyance, (hence) stamp XVIII; facilitate the passage of XIX. |
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "frank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "frank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-frank.html T. F. HOAD. "frank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-frank.html |
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Frank
Frank ♂ Germanic: byname meaning ‘free’, ‘trustworthy’, or ‘Frankish’.
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Cite this article
PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Frank." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Frank." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Frank.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Frank." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Frank.html |
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frank
frank
•ankh, bank, blank, clank, crank, dank, drank, embank, flank, franc, frank, hank, lank, outflank, outrank, Planck, plank, point-blank, prank, rank, sank, shank, shrank, spank, stank, swank, tank, thank, wank, yank
•sandbank • piggy bank • mountebank
•fog bank • mudbank • Bundesbank
•databank • riverbank • Burbank
•greenshank • sheepshank
•scrimshank • Cruikshank
•think tank • Franck • Eysenck
•bethink, blink, brink, chink, cinque, clink, dink, drink, fink, Frink, gink, ink, interlink, jink, kink, link, mink, pink, plink, prink, rink, shrink, sink, skink, slink, stink, sync, think, wink, zinc
•rinky-dink • Humperdinck • iceblink
•cufflink • bobolink • Maeterlinck
•lip-sync • countersink • doublethink
•kiddiewink
•tiddlywink (US tiddledywink)
•hoodwink
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Cite this article
"frank." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "frank." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-frank.html "frank." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-frank.html |
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