Flank

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Flank, n. [F. flanc, prob. fr. L. flaccus flabby, with n inserted. Cf. Flaccid, Flanch, Flange.].

•  The fleshy or muscular part of the side of an animal, between the ribs and the hip. See Illust. of Beef.  [1913 Webster]
•  The side of an army, or of any division of an army, as of a brigade, regiment, or battalion; the extreme right or left; as, to attack an enemy in flank is to attack him on the side.  [1913 Webster]

  "When to right and left the front"
•  The side of any building.  Brands.  [1913 Webster]
•  That part of the acting surface of a gear wheel tooth that lies within the pitch line.  [1913 Webster]

Flank attack (Mil.), an attack upon the side of an army or body of troops, distinguished from one upon its front or rear. -- Flank company (Mil.), a certain number of troops drawn up on the right or left of a battalion; usually grenadiers, light infantry, or riflemen. -- Flank defense (Fort.), protection of a work against undue exposure to an enemy's direct fire, by means of the fire from other works, sweeping the ground in its front. -- Flank en potence (Mil.), any part of the right or left wing formed at a projecting angle with the line. -- Flank files, the first men on the right, and the last on the left, of a company, battalion, etc. -- Flank march, a march made parallel or obliquely to an enemy's position, in order to turn it or to attack him on the flank. -- Flank movement, a change of march by an army, or portion of one, in order to turn one or both wings of the enemy, or to take up a new position. -- Flanks of a frontier, salient points in a national boundary, strengthened to protect the frontier against hostile incursion. -- Flank patrol, detachments acting independently of the column of an army, but patrolling along its flanks, to secure it against surprise and to observe the movements of the enemy.

Flank, v. t. [Cf. F. flanquer. See Flank, n., and cf. Flanker, v. t.].

•  To stand at the flank or side of; to border upon.  [1913 Webster]

  "Stately colonnades are flanked with trees."  [1913 Webster]
•  To overlook or command the flank of; to secure or guard the flank of; to pass around or turn the flank of; to attack, or threaten to attack; the flank of.  [1913 Webster]

Flank, v. i. 

•  To border; to touch.  Bp. Butler.  [1913 Webster]
•  To be posted on the side.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Flank, n. & v.
--n.
1 a the side of the body between the ribs and the hip. b the side of an animal carved as meat (flank of beef).
2 the side of a mountain, building, etc.
3 the right or left side of an army or other body of persons.
--v.tr.
1 (often in passive) be situated at both sides of (a road flanked by mountains).
2 Mil. a guard or strengthen on the flank. b menace the flank of. c rake with sweeping gunfire; enfilade.

Idiom

flank forward Rugby Football a wing forward. in flank at the side.

Etymology

ME f. OF flanc f. Frank.

THESAURUS

Flank

Chateaubriand, advance against, advance upon, advocate, bank, beam, bear down upon, blade roast, border, breast, brisket, broadside, champion, cheek, chop, chuck, chuck roast, circle, circuit, circuiteer, circulate, circumambulate, circummigrate, circumnavigate, circumvent, clod, close the circle, coast, cold cuts, come full circle, compass, counterattack, cycle, defend, describe a circle, drive, edge, encircle, encompass, filet mignon, gas, girdle, girdle the globe, go about, go around, go round, go the round, guard, guard against, gyre, hand, handedness, haunch, hip, infiltrate, jowl, knuckle, lap, laterality, launch an attack, line, loin, make a circuit, many-sidedness, march against, march upon, mount an attack, multilaterality, open an offensive, orbit, outflank, planking, plate, plate piece, pot roast, profile, protect, push, quarter, rack, revolve, rib roast, ribs, roast, rolled roast, round, rump, rump roast, saddle, safeguard, screen, secure, shank, shield, shore, short ribs, shoulder, shoulder clod, side, siding, sirloin, skirt, spiral, strike, surround, temple, tenderloin, thrust, unilaterality, wheel

ROGET THESAURUS

Flank

Safety

VB be safe, keep one's head above water, tide over, save one's bacon, ride out the storm, weather the storm, light upon one's feet, land on one's feet, bear a charmed life, escape, make safe, render safe Adj, protect, take care of, preserve, cover, screen, shelter, shroud, flank, ward, guard, secure, entrench, intrench, fence round, house, nestle, ensconce, take charge of, escort, convoy, garrison, watch, mount guard, patrol, make assurance doubly sure, take up a loose thread, take precautions, double reef topsails, seek safety, take shelter, find shelter.

N safety, security, surety, impregnability, invulnerability, invulnerableness, danger past, danger over, storm blown over, coast clear, escape, means of escape, blow valve, safety valve, release valve, sniffing valve, safeguard, palladium, guardianship, wardship, wardenship, tutelage, custody, safekeeping, preservation, protection, auspices, safe-conduct, escort, convoy, guard, shield, guardian angel, tutelary god, tutelary deity, tutelary saint, genius loci, protector, guardian, warden, warder, preserver, custodian, duenna, chaperon, third person, watchdog, bandog, Cerberus, watchman, patrolman, policeman, cop, dick, fuzz, smokey, peeler, zarp, sentinel, sentry, scout, garrison, guardship, refuge &c, anchor, precaution, quarantine, cordon sanitaire, confidence, protect, take care of, preserve, cover, screen, shelter, shroud, flank, ward, guard, secure, entrench, intrench, fence round, house, nestle, ensconce, take charge of, escort, convoy, garrison, watch, mount guard, patrol, make assurance doubly sure, take up a loose thread, take precautions, double reef topsails, seek safety, take shelter, find shelter, Adj, safe, secure, sure, in safety, in security, on the safe side, under the shield of, under the shade of, under the wing of, under the shadow of one's wing, under cover, under lock and key, out of danger, out of the woods, out of the meshes, out of harm's way, unharmed, unscathed, on sure ground, at anchor, high and dry, above water, unthreatened, unmolested, protected, cavendo tutus, panoplied, snug, seaworthy, weatherproof, waterproof, fireproof, defensible, tenable, proof against, invulnerable, unassailable, unattackable, impenetrable, impregnable, imperdible, inexpugnable, Achillean, safe and sound, scathless, unhazarded, not dangerous, unthreatening, harmless, friendly (cooperative), protecting, protective, guardian, tutelary, preservative, trustworthy, ex abundanti cautela, with impunity, all's well, salva res est, suave mari magno, a couvert, e terra alterius spectare laborem, Dieu vous garde.

Laterality

N laterality, side, flank, quarter, lee, hand, cheek, jowl, jole, wing, profile, temple, parietes, loin, haunch, hip, beam, gable, gable end, broadside, lee side, points of the compass, East, Orient, Levant, West, orientation, lateral, sidelong, collateral, parietal, flanking, skirting, flanked, sideling, many sided, multilateral, bilateral, trilateral, quadrilateral, Eastern, orient, oriental, Levantine, Western, occidental, Hesperian, sideways, sidelong, broadside on, on one side, abreast, alongside, beside, aside, by the side of, side by side, cheek by jowl, to windward, to leeward, laterally, right and left, on her beam ends, his cheek the may of days outworn.

VB be on one side, flank, outflank, sidle, skirt, orientate.