FLANK
What does "FLANK" mean?
The fleshy side of a person or animal between the ribs and the hip.
Meanings
- The side of the body between the lowest rib and the hip. The horse's flank glistened with sweat after the race.
- The left or right side of a military formation, army, or position. The cavalry attacked the enemy's exposed flank. technical
- To be situated at the side of, or to attack from the side. Tall columns flanked the entrance to the hall.
Did you know?
- At the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC, Hannibal won by letting his center bend back and then crushing the Roman army from both flanks at once - a double envelopment still studied in military academies today.
Word origin
From Old French 'flanc', from a Germanic source (compare Old High German 'hlanca', 'hip, side'); the military sense developed from the bodily one.
Remember it
FLANK = the side that a tank rolls up to hit; both end in '-ank'.
A little poem
Guard the gate, they said, and watched the road-
but armies, like grief, prefer the quiet side,
and slip in at the flank you left unwatched.
tercet
Wordplay
- The general and the butcher argued all night about the best cut - one meant the army's flank, the other meant the steak.
What it teaches
Most defeats arrive from the side you weren't defending; watch your flanks, not just your front.
Quick facts
What does FLANK mean?
The fleshy side of a person or animal between the ribs and the hip.
Is FLANK a valid word?
Yes — FLANK is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is FLANK?
FLANK has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does FLANK come from?
From Old French 'flanc', from a Germanic source (compare Old High German 'hlanca', 'hip, side'); the military sense developed from the bodily one.
What can FLANK teach us?
Most defeats arrive from the side you weren't defending; watch your flanks, not just your front.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.