# tank

/ˈtæŋk/ (US) · /tˈæŋk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tank
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. liquid container

noun · CEFR A2

a large container for holding liquids or gases, like water or fuel.

For teachers: a large, typically enclosed container designed for the storage of liquids or gases.

- The plumber had to fix a leak in the water tank in the attic.
- The industrial facility maintains several pressurized tanks to store the liquid nitrogen required for the cooling process.

### 2. military vehicle

noun · CEFR B1

a heavy military vehicle with large guns that moves on metal tracks instead of wheels.

For teachers: an armoured fighting vehicle equipped with a large-calibre gun and moving on continuous caterpillar tracks.

- The army moved its tanks to the border during the training exercise.
- Modern tanks are designed with advanced composite armour to withstand direct hits from anti-tank guided missiles.

### 3. gaming role

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang

in video games, a character who can take a lot of damage to protect their teammates.

For teachers: a character class in cooperative games designed to absorb damage and draw enemy attention away from more vulnerable allies.

- Our team needs a strong tank to lead the attack on the boss.
- The player chose a warrior build to act as the primary tank, ensuring the mages could cast spells without being interrupted by enemy fire.

### 4. botany

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a part of some plants that catches and holds rainwater.

For teachers: a structure formed by overlapping leaves in certain plants, such as bromeliads, used to collect and retain water.

- Frogs often lay their eggs in the water held by the plant's tank.
- Epiphytic bromeliads rely on their central tank to survive long periods without rainfall in the tropical canopy.

### 5. to fail

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to fail completely or lose value very quickly.

For teachers: to decline sharply in value, performance, or quality; often used in economic or commercial contexts.

- The company's stock started to tank after the bad news was released.
- Despite a massive marketing budget, the film tanked at the box office during its opening weekend.

### 6. to lose on purpose

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to lose a game on purpose to get an advantage later.

For teachers: to deliberately lose a sporting match or competition, typically to secure a better draft pick or future advantage.

- Fans accused the team of tanking the season to get a better player next year.
- The league investigated whether the coach instructed his players to tank the final game to avoid a difficult opponent in the playoffs.

## Examples

- The fish swim around in their glass tank.
- The technician checked the pressure levels in the oxygen tank before the divers entered the water.
- Engineers designed the storage tank with reinforced steel to withstand the immense pressure of the liquefied natural gas stored within its double-walled structure.

---

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.