adj. (old colloquial).—1. A generic intensive: unmitigated; utter (B. E., c. 1696; GROSE, 1785; VAUX, 1819): e.g., A RANK LIE = a flat falsehood; A RANK KNAVE = a rogue of the first water; A RANK OUTSIDER (see OUTSIDER); A RANK SWELL = a pink of fashion; A RANK DUFFER = a downright fool; and so forth.
1465–70. MALLORY, Morte d’Arthur [E.E.T.S.], l. 2402.
| The RENKE rebelle has bene | |
| unto my rownde table, | |
| Redy aye with Romaynes, | |
| and ryotte my landes! |
1547. SURREY, Æneid, ii.
| Whose sacred filletes all besprinkled were | |
| With filth of gory blod, and venim RANK. |
1596. SHAKESPEARE, Hamlet, iii. 4, 148.
| Whilst RANK corruption, mining all within, | |
| Infects unseen. |
c. 1616. FLETCHER, Bonduca, iv. 2. Hengo. Run, run, ye rogues, ye precious rogues, ye RANK rogues!
d. 1719. ADDISON, Man of the Town. What are these but RANK pedants.
1834. W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, III. v. “A RANK scamp!” cried the upright man; and this exclamation, however equivocal it may sound, was intended to be highly complimentary.
1894. GEORGE MOORE, Esther Waters, xxx. I saw that the favourites had been winning. But I know of something, a RANK outsider, for the Leger.
2. (American).—Eager; anxious; impatient [Century]: e.g., ‘I was RANK to get back.’
Verb. (common).—To cheat.
