# tanks

/ˈtæŋks/ (US) · /tˈæŋks/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. containers or vehicles

noun · CEFR A2

more than one large container for liquid, or more than one heavy military vehicle with tracks.

For teachers: the plural of 'tank', referring to large vessels for storing fluids or heavily armoured military vehicles.

- The farm has two large water tanks to help during the dry summer.
- The military parade featured several heavy tanks moving slowly down the main boulevard while spectators watched from the pavements.

### 2. to fail or drop

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

when something, like a business or a movie, fails completely or loses value quickly.

For teachers: to decline or fail suddenly and powerfully; often used in financial or entertainment contexts regarding performance.

- The company's stock tanks every time the CEO says something controversial.
- The film usually tanks at the box office if the initial critical reviews are overwhelmingly negative during the opening weekend.

### 3. thank you

interjection · CEFR C1 · Humorous · Dialect · Informal

a funny or informal way to say 'thanks', often used to mimic a specific accent.

For teachers: a pronunciation spelling of 'thanks', typically used to represent an Irish accent or for humorous effect in informal writing.

- Tanks a million for helping me move those heavy boxes.
- He signed off his casual message with a quick 'tanks' to mimic the local dialect he had heard on his travels.

Teaching tip: This is a non-standard spelling used for stylistic effect; learners should use 'thanks' in all standard or professional communication.

## Examples

- The fish swim around in their glass tanks.
- The military parade featured several heavy tanks rolling slowly down the main boulevard while spectators watched from the sidewalks.
- Engineers inspected the industrial storage tanks for structural integrity before authorizing the transfer of several thousand gallons of pressurized natural gas into the facility's primary reservoir.

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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.