noun
flank
FLANGK
noun
1
The side of a person, animal, or group.
"The horse's flank twitched at the fly."
"Troops attacked the enemy's left flank."
2
A cut of beef from the side of the animal, below the loin.
"The recipe calls for grilled flank steak, sliced thin."
verb
1
To be positioned on either side of something, or to move around the side of an opponent.
"Two guards flanked the entrance."
"The general ordered his troops to flank the enemy line."
How to Use Flank
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe side of something (a body, a formation, a road), or to be positioned at/attack from that side.
Common pairings
flank steak
flank an army
flanked by
Word Forms
flanked past tense, flanks plural, flanks singular
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The horse's _____ twitched at the fly.
Etymology
From Old French flanc, of Germanic origin, related to a root meaning "to bend" — the same root behind lank.