bank
A1 (both meanings are high-frequency)Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A financial institution that accepts deposits and lends money.
The land alongside a river or other body of water; a slope or mound; a storage place for something (e.g., blood bank); to rely on someone or something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The two primary meanings (financial institution and river edge) are homographs/homophones, historically deriving from different sources. The verb meanings are closely related to the noun meanings.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meanings. Minor differences in specific collocations (e.g., 'high street bank' is more common in UK English).
Connotations
Identical for primary meanings.
Frequency
Both meanings are equally frequent and fundamental in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to bank at [institution]to bank on [person/thing]the bank of [river]to bank [aircraft]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “break the bank”
- “laugh all the way to the bank”
- “bank on it”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Primary meaning is the financial institution; e.g., 'The bank approved the merger.'
Academic
Used in economics, finance, geography, and environmental science; e.g., 'Sediment deposition occurs on the inner bank of a meander.'
Everyday
Both financial and geographical meanings are common; e.g., 'I need to go to the bank.' / 'Let's have a picnic by the river bank.'
Technical
In aviation: to tilt an aircraft's wings; in billiards: to bounce a ball off the cushion.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I bank with Barclays.
- Can we bank on your support for the proposal?
- The pilot had to bank the aircraft sharply.
American English
- I bank at Chase.
- Don't bank on the weather being good for the picnic.
- The plane banked left over the city.
adverb
British English
- This phrase is rarely used as an adverb.
American English
- This phrase is rarely used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- It's a bank holiday next Monday.
- We need the bank details.
American English
- The bank statement arrived today.
- He works in bank regulation.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bank is next to the supermarket.
- Children are playing near the river bank.
- I need to transfer money from my bank account.
- The house is built on the south bank of the Thames.
- The central bank is expected to raise interest rates to curb inflation.
- Soil erosion has significantly altered the western bank of the stream.
- The scandal threatened to bankrupt the venerable investment bank.
- The geologist examined the stratigraphy exposed in the cut bank of the meander.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BANK holding your MONEY next to a RIVER BANK holding WATER.
Conceptual Metaphor
TRUST/RELIABILITY IS A BANK ('You can bank on her.'); ACCUMULATION IS A BANK ('bank your experience').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'банка' (jar/can).
- The financial 'bank' and geographical 'bank' are the same word, unlike Russian 'банк' and 'берег'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect prepositions: 'in the bank of the river' (correct: 'on the bank of the river').
- Using 'bank' as a verb only in the financial sense, missing 'to bank on someone'.
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'You can bank on him being late,' what does 'bank on' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they are homographs (same spelling, same pronunciation) but have completely different historical origins and meanings.
Use 'on the bank of...' (e.g., on the bank of the river). 'At the bank' can be used more generally for being near it.
Yes. As a verb, it can mean: 1) to have an account at a financial institution, 2) to rely on something ('bank on'), 3) to tilt an aircraft, or 4) to pile something up.
It is an idiom meaning to cost too much money, to be unaffordable, or to use all of one's resources.
Collections
Part of a collection
Places in the City
A1 · 50 words · Common buildings and places found in towns and cities.