flank

noun

/flæŋk/

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the side of something such as a building or mountain
- The sun lit up the western flank of the hill.
Extra Examples
- along the eastern flank of Greenland
- the lower flanks of Vesuvius
Topics Geographyc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- left
- right
- north
- …
verb + flank
- attack
- cover
- defend
- …
preposition
- along a/the flank
- down the flank
- on a/the flank
- …
See full entry
the left or right side of an army during a battle, or a sports team during a game
- Our orders were to attack their left flank.
- Their centre made a dash down the right flank.
Extra Examples
- They decided to attack their enemy's southern flank.
- West Ham exposed the right flank of Norwich's defence.
- a beautiful pass down the right flank
Topics War and conflictc2, Sports: ball and racket sportsc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- left
- right
- north
- …
verb + flank
- attack
- cover
- defend
- …
preposition
- along a/the flank
- down the flank
- on a/the flank
- …
See full entry
the side of an animal between the ribs and the hip
- She patted the horse’s flank.
Topics Animalsc2

Word Originlate Old English, from Old French flanc, of Germanic origin.

verb

/flæŋk/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they flank	/flæŋk/ /flæŋk/
he / she / it flanks	/flæŋks/ /flæŋks/
past simple flanked	/flæŋkt/ /flæŋkt/
past participle flanked	/flæŋkt/ /flæŋkt/
-ing form flanking	/ˈflæŋkɪŋ/ /ˈflæŋkɪŋ/

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be flanked by somebody/something
to have somebody/something on one or both sides
- She left the courtroom flanked by armed guards.
flank something to be placed on one or both sides of something
- They drove through the cotton fields that flanked Highway 17.

Word Originlate Old English, from Old French flanc, of Germanic origin.