bank
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.a place where people keep their money safe and can borrow more.
n.an institution for receiving, lending, exchanging, and safeguarding money.
Simple“I need to go to the bank to withdraw some cash for the weekend.”
In context“The central bank raised interest rates in a strategic attempt to curb inflation and stabilize the national currency.”
- 02 A2 Elementary
n.the sloping ground at the edge of a river or lake.
n.the rising ground bordering a lake, river, or sea.
Simple“We sat on the river bank and watched the boats go by.”
In context“Heavy rainfall caused the river to burst its banks, flooding the adjacent farmland and damaging several historic structures.”
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a row of similar things, like buttons, lights, or keys.
n.a group or series of objects arranged together in a row or tier.
Simple“The pilot looked at the bank of switches on the control panel.”
In context“The data center houses a massive bank of servers, all cooled by an advanced liquid-nitrogen system.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
n.a place where important things are kept for later use, like blood or information.
n.a place for storing a reserve supply of something for future use.
Simple“The hospital asked for volunteers to donate to the blood bank.”
In context“Researchers accessed a global data bank to compare genetic sequences from various populations across the continent.”
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
- 06 B1 Intermediate
v.to put money into a bank account.
v.to deposit money into a financial institution; takes a direct object.
Simple“She banked the check as soon as she received it.”
In context“The business banks its daily takings every evening to ensure the cash is secure overnight.”
- 07 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to tilt to one side when turning, like an airplane or a bicycle.
v.to tilt an aircraft or vehicle during a turn to maintain stability.
Simple“The plane began to bank left as it approached the airport.”
In context“The pilot had to bank sharply to avoid the storm clouds gathering over the mountain range.”
- 08 B1 Intermediate
v.to depend on something happening.
v.to rely or depend on a specific outcome; usually followed by 'on'.
Simple“I wouldn't bank on the weather being sunny for our picnic.”
In context“The investors were banking on a market recovery by the end of the fiscal year, but the economic data suggested otherwise.”
UsageUsually used in the phrasal form 'bank on'.
Usage bank accounts · bank account
From Old English banc (“bank, hillock, embankment”), from Proto-Germanic *bankô.
Various origins: * Borrowed from Dutch and German Bank (“bench”), a metonymic occupational surname for someone who worked with a bench or counter, like a money changer. * Borrowed from Danish and Swedish Bank, a topographic surname from bank (“sandbank”) or, alternatively, a nickname for a loud an noisy person, from bank (“noise”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.