frank
/fræŋk/ (bre, ipa) · [frˈæŋk] /fræŋk/ (ame, ipa) · [frˈæŋk] /ˈfraŋk/ (ame, mw)
frank — adjective
- frankpositive
- frankercomparative
- frankestsuperlative
1. saying what you honestly think or feel, without hiding anything, even if the tru
saying what you honestly think or feel, without hiding anything, even if the truth might upset someone or cause a difficult situation.
Liam gave a frank answer when his boss asked about the project's problems.
frank answer — collocation for honest, direct reply
The doctor was frank with Renata about how long her recovery would take.
frank + with + person + about + topic
A frank discussion between the two neighbours solved the parking dispute quickly.
Wei appreciated his brother's frank opinion about not buying the old house, even though it meant starting the search again.
During the team meeting, Sayaka was frank about the budget problems everyone had been avoiding.
- candid
slightly more formal; common in professional or written contexts
- open
broader meaning; focuses on willingness to share rather than directness
- honest
more general; emphasises truthfulness over directness
- straightforward
emphasises clarity and simplicity rather than bluntness
文法句型
frank + about + noun/gerund
frank + with + person
常見錯誤
2. used before saying something honest that may surprise, offend, or upset the pers
used before saying something honest that may surprise, offend, or upset the person you are talking to — often introduces unpleasant news or strong criticism.
Frankly, Kofi thought the hotel was too expensive for what it offered.
frankly, + clause — sentence adverb at start of clause
To be frank with you, Daniel does not believe your plan will work as described.
to be frank with you — fixed discourse phrase
Stefan told his friend, "Frankly, I am surprised you still trust him after what happened."
To be perfectly frank, the head chef told the kitchen staff that their service on Saturday was simply unacceptable.
Frankly speaking, Layla did not enjoy the movie, even though everyone else loved it.
- honestly
less confrontational than frankly; milder in tone
- to be honest
more conversational and softer than 'to be frank'
文法句型
frankly, + clause
to be frank (with you), + clause
用法筆記
This sense always functions as a sentence adverb or a fixed introductory phrase. It does not describe a person's character — that is sense 1. Distinguish by position: 'Frankly, I think...' (sense 2, opinion marker) vs. 'a frank person' (sense 1, character trait). In writing, a comma almost always follows the phrase.
常見錯誤
3. so clear and obvious that there can be no doubt about it — used especially in me
so clear and obvious that there can be no doubt about it — used especially in medical or formal writing about visible symptoms or plain facts.
The patient showed frank signs of recovery after just three days of treatment.
frank signs — medical collocation for unmistakable symptoms
The chest X-ray showed frank signs of pneumonia in the patient's right lung.
frank signs of [condition] — typical medical collocation for unmistakable symptoms
Doctors noted frank bleeding in the patient's left eye and ordered a scan immediately.
The nurse noticed frank bleeding from the wound and called the doctor immediately.
文法句型
frank + noun (medical/formal)
用法筆記
Common in medical writing where 'frank' describes symptoms that are fully developed and unmistakable (e.g. 'frank haematuria', 'frank pus', 'frank pneumonia'). Outside clinical contexts, the use is formal and somewhat literary.
frank — verb
- frankpresent simple I / you / we / they
- franks3rd person singular
- franking-ing form
- frankedpast simple
1. to print a special mark, signature, or stamp onto a letter or parcel, proving th
to print a special mark, signature, or stamp onto a letter or parcel, proving that the sender has paid the required postage or is officially allowed to send it for free.
The receptionist franked all the outgoing letters before the lunch break.
frank outgoing letters — typical object collocation
Each envelope was franked with the company's official purple postage mark.
passive: be franked with [mark]
Gabriel's office uses a machine that automatically franks the mail every afternoon at three.
The charity franked thousands of fundraising letters to save on postage costs.
文法句型
frank + noun (piece of mail)
用法筆記
Usually passive in non-technical writing ('the letter was franked'). More common in British English for office mail handling. The object is always a piece of mail or a collection of items being posted.
2. to officially allow a person, vehicle, or shipment to pass through a checkpoint,
to officially allow a person, vehicle, or shipment to pass through a checkpoint, customs inspection, or border without being stopped, checked, or charged.
The diplomat's special passport franked her luggage through customs without any inspection.
frank through customs — collocation for customs exemption
The diplomatic shipment of medical supplies was franked at the Geneva border post within an hour of arrival.
frank at [location] — typical pattern for customs/border clearance
Emergency medical supplies were franked by the port authority for immediate delivery to the hospital.
The ambassador's vehicle was franked through the security checkpoint without delay.
- detain
hold back or stop at a checkpoint
- confiscate
seize goods rather than allowing passage
文法句型
frank + noun + through + checkpoint
用法筆記
Very restricted in use — almost always about customs, border crossings, or official passage through checkpoints. Not found in everyday speech; used in legal, diplomatic, or administrative documents.
frank — noun
1. a thin cooked sausage, typically made of beef and pork, that is often eaten insi
a thin cooked sausage, typically made of beef and pork, that is often eaten inside a long bread roll; an informal short form of 'frankfurter'.
Kofi grilled franks for the children at the family barbecue last Saturday.
grill franks — common cooking collocation
Liam bought a pack of franks and hot dog buns for the picnic.
The ballpark vendor sold franks with mustard and fried onions for three dollars each.
For dinner, Sayaka boiled two franks and served them with baked beans and salad.
- hot dog
much more common in everyday use; can mean the sandwich or the sausage
- wiener
less common, especially outside the US
- frankfurter
the full formal name; less common in conversation
用法筆記
'Frank' is an informal shortening of 'frankfurter'. In American English, 'frank' and 'hot dog' are used almost interchangeably, though strictly 'hot dog' can refer to the complete sandwich while 'frank' is just the sausage.
2. an official mark, signature, or stamp printed on a letter or parcel to show that
an official mark, signature, or stamp printed on a letter or parcel to show that the cost of sending it has been paid or that the sender has a special right to send it for free.
Layla noticed the frank on the envelope had been printed in blue ink.
the frank on [mail item] — definite article + preposition
The village post office used a special red frank on all parcels sent during the Christmas rush.
frank on [type of mail] — common prepositional pattern
Collectors sometimes pay extra for old envelopes with an unusual frank from the nineteenth century.
Brooke examined the frank closely to check whether the postage was correct.
- postmark
different — marks date and place, not postage payment
文法句型
the frank on + noun
3. an envelope that already has an official mark showing that the postage has been
an envelope that already has an official mark showing that the postage has been paid, so no separate stamp is required to send it.
The charity sent each donor a prepaid frank for returning their donation form.
prepaid frank — specific type of franked envelope
Renata kept the franked envelope from her grandfather's wartime letter as a family souvenir.
The school PTA ordered two thousand franked envelopes for the fundraising letter campaign.
Each frank was printed with the company logo and a prepaid postage mark.
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 2: sense 2 is the mark/stamp itself; sense 3 is the entire envelope that bears the mark. In informal use, 'a frank' usually means a franked envelope, not the mark alone.
4. the legal right to send letters or packages through the postal system without pa
the legal right to send letters or packages through the postal system without paying postage, usually granted to government officials, members of parliament, or other authorised persons.
Members of Congress have the frank to mail official letters to voters free of charge.
have the frank — noun phrase for the privilege
The senator used her frank to send newsletters to every home in the district.
Some critics argued that the minister was abusing the frank by sending political campaign materials.
Only elected members of Congress are allowed to use the frank for official mail sent to voters in their district.
- franking privilege
the full formal term for this right
文法句型
have the frank
use the frank
the frank allows + infinitive
用法筆記
Usually preceded by 'the' — 'the frank'. In US government, it specifically refers to the Congressional franking privilege. In British English, the equivalent is the 'franking privilege' for MPs.
5. a member of the West Germanic people who, from the 3rd century AD, gradually set
a member of the West Germanic people who, from the 3rd century AD, gradually settled in the area that is now France and western Germany, and whose name is the origin of the word 'France'.
The Franks expanded their territory across Gaul during the fifth and sixth centuries.
the Franks — historical ethnic group, always capitalised
Historians link the name France to the Frankish tribes who settled the region.
Clovis united all the Frankish tribes under a single king in the late fifth century.
The Franks established a powerful kingdom that later became modern France.
文法句型
the Franks
king of the Franks
用法筆記
Always capitalised (Frank / Franks). The adjective form is 'Frankish'. This sense is a historical cultural noun — easily distinguished from the adjective 'frank' by context and capitalisation.