Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

frank

frank

(frăṉk)
,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
franker
(frăṉk′ẽr)
;
sup
erl.
frankest
.]
[F.
franc
free, frank, L.
Francus
a Frank, fr. OHG.
Franko
the name of a Germanic people on the Rhine, who afterward founded the French monarchy; cf. AS.
franca
javelin, Icel.
frakka
. Cf.
Franc
,
French
,
Adj.
,
Franchise
,
Noun.
]
1.
Unbounded by restrictions, limitations, etc.; free.
[R.]
“It is of frank gift.”
Spenser.
2.
Free in uttering one’s real sentiments; not reserved; using no disguise; candid; ingenuous;
as, a
frank
nature, conversation, manner, etc.
3.
Liberal; generous; profuse.
[Obs.]
Frank
of civilities that cost them nothing.
L'Estrange.
Syn. – Ingenuous; candid; artless; plain; open; unreserved; undisguised; sincere. See
Candid
,
Ingenuous
.

frank

(frăṉk)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
franked
(frăṉkt)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
franking
.]
1.
To send by public conveyance free of expense.
Dickens.
2.
To extempt from charge for postage, as a letter, package, or packet, etc.
I have said so much, that, if I had not a
frank
, I must burn my letter and begin again.
Cowper.

Webster 1828 Edition

Frank

FRANK

, a.
1.
Open; ingenuous; candid; free in uttering real sentiments; not reserved; using no disguise. Young persons are usually frank; old persons are more reserved.
2.
Open; ingenuous; as a frank disposition or heart.
3.
Liberal; generous; not niggardly. [This sense is now rare.]
4.
Free; without conditions or compensation; as a frank gift.
5.
Licentious; unrestrained. [Not used.]

FRANK

,

Definition 2024

Frank

Frank

See also: frank

English

Noun

Frank ‎(plural Franks)

  1. One of the Franks, a Germanic federation that inhabited parts of what are now France, the Low Countries and Germany.
Translations

Etymology 2

The surname derives from the medieval tribal name. The given name is also a form of Francis, with formal given name status since the 19th century.

Proper noun

Frank

  1. A male given name.
  2. A diminutive of the male given name Francis
    • 1996 Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes, HarperCollins, ISBN 0 00 649840 X, Chapter VII, page 197:
      Your name is Francis, is it?
      Frank, sir.
      Your name is Francis. There was never a St. Frank. That's a name for gangsters and politicians.
  3. A surname​.
Translations

Danish

Proper noun

Frank

  1. A male given name borrowed from English and German.

Faroese

Proper noun

Frank m

  1. A male given name.

Usage notes

  • son of Frank: Franksson
  • daughter of Frank: Franksdóttir

Declension

Singular
Indefinite
Nominative Frank
Accusative Frank
Dative Franki
Genitive Franks

French

Proper noun

Frank m

  1. A male given name, cognate to English Frank.

Usage notes

German

Etymology

From Old High German Franko ‎(“a Frank”).

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -aŋk

Proper noun

Frank

  1. A surname​.
  2. A male given name used in the Middle Ages and revived in the nineteenth century. Popular in the 1960s and the 1970s.

Icelandic

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /fraŋ̊k/
  • Rhymes: -aŋ̊k

Proper noun

Frank m

  1. A male given name equivalent to English Frank.

Declension

Manx

Etymology 1

From Latin Francia, from Francus ‎(“Frank”).

Proper noun

Yn Rank f (genitive ny Frank)

  1. France
    • Haink eh noal ass yn Rank.
      • He came over from France.
    • Hooar eh baase 'sy Rank.
      • He got killed in France.
    • Ren ad troailt 'sy Rank as ayns yn Spaainey ny yei shen.
      • They travelled in France and then in Spain.
    • T'eh ceau yn geurey ayns jiass ny Frank.
      • He winters in the south of France.
Usage notes
  • Always preceded by the definite article.
Related terms

Etymology 2

From Latin Francus ‎(“Frank”).

Proper noun

Frank m

  1. A male given name, Manx equivalent to Francis.

Mutation

Manx mutation
Radical Lenition Eclipsis
Frank Rank Vrank
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Norwegian

Etymology

From English or, rarely, German Frank, in the 19th century.

Proper noun

Frank

  1. A male given name.

References

  • Kristoffer Kruken - Ola Stemshaug: Norsk personnamnleksikon, Det Norske Samlaget, Oslo 1995, ISBN 82-521-4483-7
  • Statistisk sentralbyrå, Namnestatistikk: 10 272 males with the given name Frank living in Norway on January 1st 2011, with the frequency peak in the 1960s. Accessed on April 29th, 2011.

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowing from English Frank.

Pronunciation

  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈfɾɐ̃k/, /ˈfɾɐ̃.ki/

Proper noun

Frank m

  1. A male given name, equivalent to English Frank

Related terms

Swedish

Proper noun

Frank

  1. A male given name borrowed from English or, rarely, from German.

frank

frank

See also: Frank

English

Adjective

frank ‎(comparative franker, superlative frankest)

  1. honest, especially in an manner that seems slightly blunt; candid; not reserved or disguised.
    May I be frank with you?
  2. (medicine) unmistakable, clinically obvious, self-evident
    The research probes whether treating pre-diabetes with metformin can prevent progression to frank diabetes.
  3. (obsolete) Unbounded by restrictions, limitations, etc.; free.
    • Spenser
      It is of frank gift.
  4. (obsolete) Liberal; generous; profuse.
    • L'Estrange
      Frank of civilities that cost them nothing.
  5. (obsolete, derogatory) Unrestrained; loose; licentious.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)
Translations

Noun

frank ‎(plural franks)

  1. (uncountable) Free postage, a right exercised by governments (usually with definite article).
    • Cowper
      I have said so much, that, if I had not a frank, I must burn my letter and begin again.
  2. (countable) The notice on an envelope where a stamp would normally be found.

Verb

US franking mark

frank ‎(third-person singular simple present franks, present participle franking, simple past and past participle franked)

  1. To place a frank on an envelope.
    • 1811, Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility, chapter 20
      It will be so ridiculous to see all his letters directed to him with an M.P.—But do you know, he says, he will never frank for me?
  2. To exempt from charge for postage, as a letter, package, or packet, etc.
  3. To send by public conveyance free of expense.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Charles Dickens to this entry?)

Translations

Etymology 2

Shortened form of frankfurter.

A frank on a bun.

Noun

frank ‎(plural franks)

  1. A hot dog or sausage.
    Buy a package of franks for the barbecue.
Synonyms
Related terms
  • cocktail frank
See also

Etymology 3

Noun

frank ‎(plural franks)

  1. (Britain) the grey heron.

Etymology 4

Old French franc.

Noun

frank ‎(plural franks)

  1. A pigsty.

Verb

frank ‎(third-person singular simple present franks, present participle franking, simple past and past participle franked)

  1. To shut up in a frank or sty; to pen up; hence, to cram; to fatten.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

Czech

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -aŋk

Noun

frank m

  1. franc

Estonian

Noun

frank ‎(genitive [please provide], partitive [please provide])

  1. franc

Declension

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Polish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [fraŋk]

Noun

frank m anim

  1. franc

Usage notes

Unqualified modern usage typically refers to the Swiss franc.

Declension

Etymology

From Middle English Frank, partially from Old English Franca ‎(“a Frank”); and partially from Old French Franc, and/or Latin Francus ‎(“A Frank”), from Frankish *Franko ‎(“a Frank”); both from Proto-Germanic *frankô ‎(“javelin”). Cognate with Old High German Franko ‎(“a Frank”), Old English franca ‎(“spear, javelin”). Compare Saxon, ultimately a derivative of Proto-Germanic *sahsą ‎(“knife, dagger”).

Pronunciation

  • enPR: frăngk, IPA(key): /fɹæŋk/
  • (US, also) enPR: frāngk, IPA(key): /fɹeɪŋk/
  • Rhymes: -æŋk
  • Homophones: frank, franc

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