kassa
Very High (A1)Neutral to Formal (Primary sense). Informal in specific contexts (e.g., 'to bank on something').
Definition
Meaning
A financial institution that accepts deposits, makes loans, and provides other financial services; a place where money is kept, deposited, or invested.
Can refer to a bank building, a reserve or stockpile of something valuable (e.g., a blood bank), or a situation in games like pool where the cue ball is pocketed.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary sense relates to finance. The verb senses are highly productive: 'to bank' can mean to deposit money, to rely on, or to tilt (as in an aircraft).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'cheque' (UK) vs. 'check' (US) for the paper payment instrument. Terminology: 'current account' (UK) vs. 'checking account' (US). 'High street bank' (UK) is more common than 'main street bank' (US).
Connotations
Similar core connotations of security and finance. UK usage may historically carry stronger associations with traditional high-street institutions.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both dialects for the core noun sense. Specific collocations and phrasal verbs may vary slightly in frequency.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
bank (sth) with sb/sthbank on sb/sthbank at (a place)bank against sthVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “break the bank”
- “laugh all the way to the bank”
- “bank on it”
- “not a bank”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Primary institution for corporate finance, loans, and treasury management.
Academic
Studied in economics, finance, and sociology (e.g., 'shadow banking system').
Everyday
Managing personal finances, withdrawing cash, paying bills.
Technical
In aviation: 'to bank' an aircraft. In computing: 'memory bank'. In geography: 'river bank'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I need to bank this cheque before the weekend.
- The pilot began to bank the plane steeply.
American English
- I'll bank this check on my way home.
- You can bank on her to be on time.
adjective
British English
- The bank transfer should arrive today.
- We're waiting for bank approval.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- There is a bank next to the supermarket.
- I have money in the bank.
- I need to go to the bank to withdraw some cash.
- The company took out a bank loan to expand.
- After the merger, the bank's shares soared on the stock market.
- We're banking on good weather for the outdoor event.
- The central bank's decision to raise interest rates sent shockwaves through the financial sector.
- The aircraft banked sharply to avoid the storm cloud.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a piggy BANK on the BANK of a river, saving your money.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A LIQUID RESOURCE (bank as a container/reservoir). TRUST/RELIANCE IS A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ('I'm banking on you').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'bank' as 'банка' (which is a jar/tin). The correct direct translation for the institution is 'банк'. 'River bank' is 'берег'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect article: 'I go to bank' instead of 'I go to the bank'. Confusing 'bank' (institution) with 'bench' (seat). Misspelling as 'banck'.
Practice
Quiz
What does the phrasal verb 'bank on' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it has multiple meanings including the land beside a river, a storage place (e.g., blood bank), and the action of tilting an aircraft.
A bank is a for-profit financial institution open to all. A credit union is a non-profit cooperative owned by its members. A building society (UK) is similar to a credit union, focused on savings and mortgages.
It can mean to deposit money ('bank a cheque'), to rely on ('bank on success'), or to tilt ('the plane banked'). The correct preposition changes the meaning.
It's an idiom meaning to cost too much money, to be very expensive, or to ruin someone financially.