plank

Meaning

Noun

1. A long, broad and thick piece of timber, as opposed to a board which is less thick.
2. (figuratively) A political issue that is of concern to a faction or a party of the people and the political position that is taken on that issue.
3. Physical exercise in which one holds a pushup position for a measured length of time.
4. (British, slang) A stupid person, idiot.
5. That which supports or upholds.

Verb

1. (transitive) To cover something with planking.
2. (transitive) To bake (fish, etc.) on a piece of cedar lumber.
3. (colloquial, transitive) To lay down, as on a plank or table; to stake or pay cash.
4. (transitive) To harden, as hat bodies, by felting.
5. To splice together the ends of slivers of wool, for subsequent drawing.
6. (intransitive) To pose for a photograph while lying rigid, face down, arms at side, in an unusual place.

Synonyms

board

slab

log

timber

wooden board

shelf

floorboard

slate

wood

🪵

patch

plump down

plunk down

planking

thick board

plate

flump

plonk

plop

plank over

plump

plunk

deal

lath

sheet

beam

slat

stave

strake

batten

floor

panel

tablet

slab billet

thick plank

massive plate

parquet floor board

ribbon

🎀

bed

🛏️

bestrew

billboard

counter

dashboard

deposit

desktop

diving board

ironing board

layer

lie

lumber

pane

Translations

planche

plank

Brett

tábua

tabla

bord

asse

tablero

tablet

tavola

tabula

tablón

Planke

prancha

panneau

Pronounced as (IPA)

/plæŋk/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: plank

Cognate with French: planche

Cognate with Old French: planche

In summary

From Middle English plank, planke, borrowed from Old French planke, Old Northern French planque (compare French planche, from Old French planche), from Vulgar Latin planca, from palanca, from Latin phalanga. The Latin term derives from the Ancient Greek φάλαγξ (phálanx), so it is thus a doublet of phalange and phalanx. Compare also the doublets planch and planche, and plancha, borrowed later from Middle French, Modern French, and Spanish, respectively.