rank adj. (a common meaning is ‘gross, coarse’ in various applications)
1.
coarsely
luxuriant H5 V. ii. 45,
50
“Wanting the scythe, all
uncorrected, rank,”
Ham. III. iv. 152; fig.
AYL II. vii. 46,
Troil. I. iii. 318
“the seeded pride That
hath to this maturity blown up In rank
Achilles”
; (hence) high or excessive in amount AYL. IV. i. 87,
Ham. IV. iv. 22
“A ranker rate.”
2.
puffed up, swollen,
grossly fat
Cæs. III. i. 152
“Who else must be let
blood, who else is rank”
; fig. exuberant, over-full 2H4 IV. i. 64, Sonn. cxviii. 12.
3.
copious, full
Ven. 71
“a river that is
rank.”
4.
of offensively strong
smell, rancid
Tw.N. II. v. 138
“as rank as a
fox,”
Ant. V. ii. 211; fig.
Ham. III. iii. 36
“O! my offence is rank,
it smells to heaven.”
6.
corrupt, foul
2H4 III. i. 39
“ diseases,”
Ham. III. iv. 148
“rank
corruption.”
