# bank

/ˈbæŋk/ (US) · /bˈæŋk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bank
Updated: 2026-07-11

## Senses

### 1. financial institution

noun · CEFR A1

a place where people keep their money safe and can borrow more.

For teachers: an institution for receiving, lending, exchanging, and safeguarding money.

- I need to go to the bank to withdraw some cash for the weekend.
- The central bank raised interest rates in a strategic attempt to curb inflation and stabilize the national currency.

### 2. river edge

noun · CEFR A2

the sloping ground at the edge of a river or lake.

For teachers: the rising ground bordering a lake, river, or sea.

- We sat on the river bank and watched the boats go by.
- Heavy rainfall caused the river to burst its banks, flooding the adjacent farmland and damaging several historic structures.

### 3. a row or group

noun · CEFR B2

a row of similar things, like buttons, lights, or keys.

For teachers: a group or series of objects arranged together in a row or tier.

- The pilot looked at the bank of switches on the control panel.
- The data center houses a massive bank of servers, all cooled by an advanced liquid-nitrogen system.

### 4. storage for medical/data items

noun · CEFR B1

a place where important things are kept for later use, like blood or information.

For teachers: a place for storing a reserve supply of something for future use.

- The hospital asked for volunteers to donate to the blood bank.
- Researchers accessed a global data bank to compare genetic sequences from various populations across the continent.

### 5. lots of money

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang

a large amount of money.

For teachers: a significant sum of money or profit.

- He made serious bank after selling his old comic book collection.
- The tech startup began making bank after their app went viral on social media last quarter.

### 6. to deposit money

verb · CEFR B1

to put money into a bank account.

For teachers: to deposit money into a financial institution; takes a direct object.

- She banked the check as soon as she received it.
- The business banks its daily takings every evening to ensure the cash is secure overnight.

### 7. to tilt while turning

verb · CEFR B2

to tilt to one side when turning, like an airplane or a bicycle.

For teachers: to tilt an aircraft or vehicle during a turn to maintain stability.

- The plane began to bank left as it approached the airport.
- The pilot had to bank sharply to avoid the storm clouds gathering over the mountain range.

### 8. to rely on

verb · CEFR B1

to depend on something happening.

For teachers: to rely or depend on a specific outcome; usually followed by 'on'.

- I wouldn't bank on the weather being sunny for our picnic.
- The investors were banking on a market recovery by the end of the fiscal year, but the economic data suggested otherwise.

Usage: Usually used in the phrasal form 'bank on'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.