rank
/ræŋk/ (bre, ipa) · /ræŋk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈraŋk/ (ame, mw)
rank — 名詞
- ranksingular
- ranksplural
1. a level or position that a person has in an organized group such as the military
職級；階級
組織中的職位等級
a level or position that a person has in an organized group such as the military, a company, or a government, with higher ranks having more authority and responsibility.
Rohan achieved the rank of captain after five years in the army.
Rohan 在軍中服役五年後晉升為上尉軍階。
rank + of [title]
Ada held a senior rank within the hospital management team.
Ada 在醫院管理團隊中擔任高層職位。
The police officer's rank was clearly shown on the badge above his pocket.
那名警員的階級清楚地標示在他胸前的徽章上。
New employees at the firm start at an entry-level rank and work their way up.
這家公司的新進員工從基層職位開始，逐步晉升。
Pedro was promoted to a higher rank after completing the training programme.
Pedro 完成培訓課程後晉升到更高的職級。
文法句型
rank + of [title]
用法筆記
Often used with military and police titles (sergeant, colonel, general) but also applies to corporate and government job levels.
常見錯誤
2. a position on a scale that shows how good something or someone is when compared
等級；排名
比較後得出的名次
a position on a scale that shows how good something or someone is when compared to others of the same type — for example, the rank of a university among schools, or the rank of a wine in a competition.
That university has a rank among the top five in the country for science.
那所大學在國內理科領域的排名位居前五。
has / holds / achieves a rank among [group]
The wine received a high rank at the international tasting competition.
這款葡萄酒在國際品酒大賽中獲得高分評價。
Sales figures are used to determine the rank of each product in the catalogue.
銷售數據用來決定每項產品在型錄中的排名。
Schools are given a rank each year based on test scores and graduation rates.
各校每年根據考試成績和畢業率獲得排名。
- rating
more common for consumer reviews and scores
- standing
focuses on reputation over time rather than a single position
- classification
more formal, used in official systems
文法句型
rank + among [group]
rank + as + adjective
用法筆記
Can be used as both countable ('a rank of fifth') and uncountable ('has high rank among experts'). Subject is often an institution, product, or achievement being compared.
3. the ordinary soldiers in an army who are not officers; the group of people who a
士兵；基層
不具軍官身分的普通軍人
the ordinary soldiers in an army who are not officers; the group of people who are at the basic level of an organization rather than in a leadership position.
Christopher served in the ranks for three years before being promoted to officer.
Christopher 擔任普通士兵三年後才晉升為軍官。
in the ranks
The general started his career in the ranks and worked his way up.
那位將軍是從士兵做起，一路晉升上來的。
in the ranks (from ordinary soldier to high position)
Several soldiers from the ranks were chosen for the special training unit.
從基層士兵中選出了幾人參加特訓單位。
The rank and file of the company were not consulted about the new policy.
公司的基層員工沒有被徵詢關於新政策的意見。
- enlisted personnel
formal military term, narrower in scope
- rank and file
idiomatic expression for ordinary members of any group
- officers
those who hold command positions above the ranks
文法句型
in the ranks
the rank and file
from the ranks
用法筆記
Used in fixed phrases: 'the ranks' (non-officer soldiers), 'the rank and file' (ordinary members of any organization), 'rise from the ranks' (start as an ordinary soldier and become an officer). Distinguish from sense 4 which refers to the general collective of members.
常見錯誤
4. a large group of people who belong to a particular organization, profession, or
行列；隊伍
屬於同一組織或處境的一群人
a large group of people who belong to a particular organization, profession, or share a particular situation or characteristic.
The earthquake swelled the ranks of the homeless across the region.
地震使該地區的無家可歸者人數大增。
swell the ranks of
More women are joining the ranks of professional engineers every year.
每年有更多女性加入專業工程師的行列。
The charity has added thousands of volunteers to its ranks this year alone.
該慈善機構今年就增加了數千名志工。
The ranks of the unemployed grew sharply after the factory closure.
工廠關閉後，失業人數急遽上升。
- membership
refers to the condition of belonging rather than the group itself
- body
more formal, e.g. 'student body'
文法句型
the ranks of + [group]
swell the ranks of
用法筆記
Nearly always in plural form 'ranks'. Common with 'the ranks of + plural noun' (the unemployed, the elderly, teachers). Subject is typically a change (swell, grow, join) affecting the group's size.
5. an orderly formation where soldiers, police officers, or objects are positioned
排；列
並排排列的人或物
an orderly formation where soldiers, police officers, or objects are positioned side-by-side in a straight line, all facing forward.
The soldiers stood in neat ranks for the morning inspection.
士兵們整齊地排成數列參加早上的檢閱。
in ranks (standing in formation)
The children formed two ranks and marched into the hall single file.
孩子們排成兩列，成單行走進禮堂。
Ranks of white chairs faced the stage for the outdoor ceremony.
一排排白色椅子面向舞台，擺放在戶外典禮會場。
The police officers stood in a long rank between the crowd and the building.
警員們排成一列長排，站在群眾和大樓之間。
文法句型
in ranks
rank of + [people/things]
用法筆記
Most common in military and ceremonial contexts. 'Rank' describes a side-by-side line (horizontal), while 'file' describes a front-to-back line (vertical).
常見錯誤
6. a designated spot at a station, airport, or street where taxis form a queue and
排班處
計程車排隊候客的地方
a designated spot at a station, airport, or street where taxis form a queue and wait for customers to hire them.
After the train arrived, passengers hurried to the taxi rank outside.
火車到站後，乘客們趕往外面的計程車排班處。
at the taxi rank
The airport has a covered taxi rank just next to the arrivals hall.
機場的計程車排班處有遮雨棚，就在入境大廳旁邊。
João waited at the taxi rank for twenty minutes on the rainy evening.
João 在那個下雨的傍晚在排班處等了二十分鐘。
A long queue of passengers formed at the taxi rank after the concert.
演唱會結束後，排班處前排起了長長的乘客隊伍。
- taxi stand
American English equivalent
- cab stand
informal American equivalent
文法句型
taxi rank
at the rank
queue at a rank
用法筆記
Chiefly British English. In American English the equivalent is 'taxi stand.' Often found at transport hubs (stations, airports, hotels).
常見錯誤
rank — 形容詞
- rankpositive
- rankercomparative
- rankestsuperlative
1. used to emphasise that something bad or negative is complete and extreme in degr
徹頭徹尾的
用於強調負面事物
used to emphasise that something bad or negative is complete and extreme in degree, with no attempt to hide or soften it.
The report described the corruption as a case of rank injustice.
那份報告稱這起貪腐事件為徹頭徹尾的不公。
rank + abstract negative noun (injustice, hypocrisy, dishonesty)
The decision was called a rank act of favouritism by the losing team.
落敗的隊伍稱這項裁決是赤裸裸的偏袒行為。
His excuse turned out to be rank dishonesty from beginning to end.
他的藉口從頭到尾都是徹頭徹尾的謊言。
The jury showed rank incompetence in handling the evidence properly.
陪審團在處理證據方面表現出徹底的無能。
文法句型
rank + [negative noun]
用法筆記
Always used before a noun (attributive only), and the noun must express something negative: injustice, hypocrisy, dishonesty, incompetence, cowardice, etc. Cannot be used with neutral or positive nouns.
常見錯誤
2. growing very thickly and fast, often in a way that is uncontrolled or too dense
蔓生的
植物生長過於旺盛
growing very thickly and fast, often in a way that is uncontrolled or too dense — used especially of plants, grass, or weeds.
The old garden was choked with rank weeds and wild bushes.
那座老花園裡長滿了蔓生的雜草和野生灌木。
rank + vegetation nouns (weeds, grass, vegetation)
After the rainy season, rank grass covered the abandoned field.
雨季過後，廢棄的田地裡長滿了茂密的野草。
Rank vegetation grew along the edges of the neglected pathway.
那條無人照料的小徑兩側長滿了蔓生的草木。
The riverbanks were hidden behind a wall of rank green undergrowth.
河岸被一道茂密的綠色灌木叢牆遮住了。
- sparse
thinly scattered; opposite of dense growth
文法句型
rank + [plant/growth noun]
用法筆記
Attributive only (before the noun). Carries a slightly negative connotation — the growth is excessive or untidy rather than simply healthy. More common in descriptive or literary writing than in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
3. having a very strong and unpleasant smell or taste, often like something rotten,
腥臭的
氣味強烈難聞
having a very strong and unpleasant smell or taste, often like something rotten, stale, or dirty.
A rank smell of old fish and damp cloth filled the tiny kitchen.
小小的廚房裡充滿了魚腥和濕布的惡臭。
rank smell / odour / stench
The cheese was so rank that Ingrid had to leave the room.
那塊起司臭到 Ingrid 不得不離開房間。
The water in the old well had a rank taste that nobody could drink.
那口老井裡的水有股噁心的味道，沒有人能喝下去。
The air in the basement turned rank after weeks of no ventilation.
地下室的空氣因為好幾週沒有通風而變得惡臭難聞。
- fresh
clean and pleasant-smelling, opposite of stale or rotten
文法句型
rank + [smell noun]
smell/taste rank
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 and 2 of the adjective, this sense can be used both before a noun ('a rank smell') and after a linking verb ('the air smelled rank'). Stronger and more disapproving than 'strong-smelling.'
常見錯誤
rank — 動詞
- rankpresent simple I / you / we / they
- ranks3rd person singular
- ranking-ing form
- rankedpast simple
1. to have or be given a particular position on a scale when compared to others of
排名；位居
與同類相比處於某個位置
to have or be given a particular position on a scale when compared to others of the same type — for example, a team ranking third in a competition, or a product ranking high in customer satisfaction.
The university ranks second in the country for business studies.
那所大學的商學院在全國排名第二。
rank + ordinal (first, second, third)
Maja's blog ranks among the most popular food websites in Europe.
Maja 的部落格在歐洲最受歡迎的美食網站中名列前茅。
rank among [group]
The company is ranked fifth in the global smartphone market this year.
該公司今年在全球智慧型手機市場排名第五。
Safety is ranked as the top priority by most airline passengers.
安全議題被大多數航空旅客列為最優先考量。
The judges ranked Asher's photograph higher than any other entry.
評審將 Asher 的照片評為比所有其他參賽作品更高分。
文法句型
rank + adverb/preposition
be ranked + adverb/preposition
用法筆記
Can be used transitively (someone/something ranks X) or intransitively (X ranks Y). The passive form ('is ranked') is very common in reporting and lists. Commonly paired with ordinal numbers (first, second, third) or position adverbs (high, low, above, below).