The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rank \Rank\, adv.
   Rankly; stoutly; violently. [Obs.]
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         That rides so rank and bends his lance so fell.
                                                  --Fairfax.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rank \Rank\, n. [OE. renk, reng, OF. renc, F. rang, fr. OHG.
   hring a circle, a circular row, G. ring. See Ring, and cf.
   Range, n. & v.]
   1. A row or line; a range; an order; a tier; as, a rank of
      osiers.
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            Many a mountain nigh
            Rising in lofty ranks, and loftier still. --Byron.
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   2. (Mil.) A line of soldiers ranged side by side; -- opposed
      to file. See 1st File, 1
      (a) .
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                Fierce, fiery warriors fought upon the clouds,
                In ranks and squadrons and right form of war.
                                                  --Shak.
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   3. Grade of official standing, as in the army, navy, or
      nobility; as, the rank of general; the rank of admiral.
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   4. An aggregate of individuals classed together; a permanent
      social class; an order; a division; as, ranks and orders
      of men; the highest and the lowest ranks of men, or of
      other intelligent beings.
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   5. Degree of dignity, eminence, or excellence; position in
      civil or social life; station; degree; grade; as, a writer
      of the first rank; a lawyer of high rank.
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            These all are virtues of a meaner rank. --Addison.
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   6. Elevated grade or standing; high degree; high social
      position; distinction; eminence; as, a man of rank.
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   Rank and file.
      (a) (Mil.) The whole body of common soldiers, including
          also corporals. In a more extended sense, it includes
          sergeants also, excepting the noncommissioned staff.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rank \Rank\ (r[a^][ng]k), a. [Compar. Ranker
   (r[a^][ng]k"[~e]r); superl. Rankest.] [AS. ranc strong,
   proud; cf. D. rank slender, Dan. rank upright, erect, Prov.
   G. rank slender, Icel. rakkr slender, bold. The meaning seems
   to have been influenced by L. rancidus, E. rancid.]
   1. Luxuriant in growth; of vigorous growth; exuberant; grown
      to immoderate height; as, rank grass; rank weeds.
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            And, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one
            stalk, rank and good.                 --Gen. xli. 5.
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   2. Raised to a high degree; violent; extreme; gross; utter;
      as, rank heresy. "Rank nonsense." --Hare. "I do forgive
      thy rankest fault." --Shak.
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   3. Causing vigorous growth; producing luxuriantly; very rich
      and fertile; as, rank land. --Mortimer.
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   4. Strong-scented; rancid; musty; as, oil of a rank smell;
      rank-smelling rue. --Spenser.
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   5. Strong to the taste. "Divers sea fowls taste rank of the
      fish on which they feed." --Boyle.
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   6. Inflamed with venereal appetite. [Obs.] --Shak.
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   Rank modus (Law), an excessive and unreasonable modus. See
      Modus, 3.

   To set (the iron of a plane, etc.) rank, to set so as to
      take off a thick shaving. --Moxon.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rank \Rank\, v. i.
   1. To be ranged; to be set or disposed, as in a particular
      degree, class, order, or division.
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            Let that one article rank with the rest. --Shak.
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   2. To have a certain grade or degree of elevation in the
      orders of civil or military life; to have a certain degree
      of esteem or consideration; as, he ranks with the first
      class of poets; he ranks high in public estimation.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Rank \Rank\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ranked (r[a^][ng]kt); p. pr.
   & vb. n. Ranking.]
   1. To place abreast, or in a line.
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   2. To range in a particular class, order, or division; to
      class; also, to dispose methodically; to place in suitable
      classes or order; to classify.
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            Ranking all things under general and special heads.
                                                  --I. Watts.
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            Poets were ranked in the class of philosophers.
                                                  --Broome.
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            Heresy is ranked with idolatry and witchcraft. --Dr.
                                                  H. More.
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   3. To take rank of; to outrank. [U.S.]
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

rank
    adj 1: very fertile; producing profuse growth; "rank earth"
    2: very offensive in smell or taste; "a rank cigar"
    3: conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible; "a
       crying shame"; "an egregious lie"; "flagrant violation of
       human rights"; "a glaring error"; "gross ineptitude"; "gross
       injustice"; "rank treachery" [syn: crying(a), egregious,
       flagrant, glaring, gross, rank]
    4: complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes
       used informally as intensifiers; "absolute freedom"; "an
       absolute dimwit"; "a downright lie"; "out-and-out mayhem";
       "an out-and-out lie"; "a rank outsider"; "many right-down
       vices"; "got the job through sheer persistence"; "sheer
       stupidity" [syn: absolute, downright, out-and-out(a),
       rank(a), right-down, sheer(a)]
    5: growing profusely; "rank jungle vegetation"
    n 1: a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police)
         standing abreast of one another; "the entrance was guarded
         by ranks of policemen"
    2: relative status; "his salary was determined by his rank and
       seniority"
    3: the ordinary members of an organization (such as the enlisted
       soldiers of an army); "the strike was supported by the union
       rank and file"; "he rose from the ranks to become a colonel"
       [syn: rank and file, rank]
    4: position in a social hierarchy; "the British are more aware
       of social status than Americans are" [syn: social station,
       social status, social rank, rank]
    5: the body of members of an organization or group; "they polled
       their membership"; "they found dissension in their own
       ranks"; "he joined the ranks of the unemployed" [syn:
       membership, rank]
    v 1: take or have a position relative to others; "This painting
         ranks among the best in the Western World"
    2: assign a rank or rating to; "how would you rank these
       students?"; "The restaurant is rated highly in the food
       guide" [syn: rate, rank, range, order, grade,
       place]
    3: take precedence or surpass others in rank [syn: rank,
       outrank]

The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

RANK, n.  Relative elevation in the scale of human worth.

    He held at court a rank so high
    That other noblemen asked why.
    "Because," 'twas answered, "others lack
    His skill to scratch the royal back."
                                                          Aramis Jukes