Flank

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Flank \Flank\ (fl[a^][ng]k), n. [F. flanc, prob. fr. L. flaccus
     flabby, with n inserted. Cf. {Flaccid}, {Flanch}, {Flange}.]
     1. The fleshy or muscular part of the side of an animal,
        between the ribs and the hip. See Illust. of {Beef}.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. (Mil.)
        (a) The side of an army, or of any division of an army, as
            of a brigade, regiment, or battalion; the extreme
            right or left; as, to attack an enemy in flank is to
            attack him on the side.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  When to right and left the front
  
                  Divided, and to either flank retired. --Milton.
        (b) (Fort.) That part of a bastion which reaches from the
            curtain to the face, and defends the curtain, the
            flank and face of the opposite bastion; any part of a
            work defending another by a fire along the outside of
            its parapet. See Illust. of {Bastion}.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Arch.) The side of any building. --Brands.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. That part of the acting surface of a gear wheel tooth that
        lies within the pitch line.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Flank attack} (Mil.), an attack upon the side of an army or
        body of troops, distinguished from one upon its front or
        rear.
  
     {Flank company} (Mil.), a certain number of troops drawn up
        on the right or left of a battalion; usually grenadiers,
        light infantry, or riflemen.
  
     {Flank defense} (Fort.), protection of a work against undue
        exposure to an enemy's direct fire, by means of the fire
        from other works, sweeping the ground in its front.
  
     {Flank en potence} (Mil.), any part of the right or left wing
        formed at a projecting angle with the line.
  
     {Flank files}, the first men on the right, and the last on
        the left, of a company, battalion, etc.
  
     {Flank march}, a march made parallel or obliquely to an
        enemy's position, in order to turn it or to attack him on
        the flank.
  
     {Flank movement}, a change of march by an army, or portion of
        one, in order to turn one or both wings of the enemy, or
        to take up a new position.
  
     {Flanks of a frontier}, salient points in a national
        boundary, strengthened to protect the frontier against
        hostile incursion.
  
     {Flank patrol}, detachments acting independently of the
        column of an army, but patrolling along its flanks, to
        secure it against surprise and to observe the movements of
        the enemy.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Flank \Flank\ (fl[a^][ng]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Flanked}
     (fl[a^][ng]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Flanking}.] [Cf. F.
     flanquer. See {Flank}, n., and cf. {Flanker}, v. t.]
     1. To stand at the flank or side of; to border upon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Stately colonnades are flanked with trees. --Pitt.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To overlook or command the flank of; to secure or guard
        the flank of; to pass around or turn the flank of; to
        attack, or threaten to attack; the flank of.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Flank \Flank\, v. i.
     1. To border; to touch. --Bp. Butler.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To be posted on the side.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  flank
       n 1: the side of military or naval formation; "they attacked the
            enemy's right flank" [syn: {wing}]
       2: a subfigure consisting of a side of something
       3: a cut from the fleshy part of an animal's side between the
          ribs and the leg
       4: the side between ribs and hipbone
       v : be located at the sides of something or somebody

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  110 Moby Thesaurus words for "flank":
     Chateaubriand, advance against, advance upon, advocate, bank, beam,
     bear down upon, blade roast, border, breast, brisket, broadside,
     champion, cheek, chop, chuck, chuck roast, circle, circuit,
     circuiteer, circulate, circumambulate, circummigrate,
     circumnavigate, circumvent, clod, close the circle, coast,
     cold cuts, come full circle, compass, counterattack, cycle, defend,
     describe a circle, drive, edge, encircle, encompass, filet mignon,
     gas, girdle, girdle the globe, go about, go around, go round,
     go the round, guard, guard against, gyre, hand, handedness, haunch,
     hip, infiltrate, jowl, knuckle, lap, laterality, launch an attack,
     line, loin, make a circuit, many-sidedness, march against,
     march upon, mount an attack, multilaterality, open an offensive,
     orbit, outflank, planking, plate, plate piece, pot roast, profile,
     protect, push, quarter, rack, revolve, rib roast, ribs, roast,
     rolled roast, round, rump, rump roast, saddle, safeguard, screen,
     secure, shank, shield, shore, short ribs, shoulder, shoulder clod,
     side, siding, sirloin, skirt, spiral, strike, surround, temple,
     tenderloin, thrust, unilaterality, wheel