- 1an organization that provides various financial services, for example keeping or lending money My salary is paid directly into my bank. I need to go to the bank (= the local office of a bank). a bank loan see commercial bank, investment bank, savings bank in gambling
- 2a supply of money or things that are used as money in some games, especially those in which gambling is involved
- 3an amount of something that is collected; a place where something is stored ready for use a bank of knowledge a blood/sperm bank see data bank of river/canal
- 4the side of a river, canal, etc. and the land near it He jumped in and swam to the opposite bank. It's on the north bank of Lake Michigan. a house on the banks of the Mississippi River (= on land near the river) slope
- 5a raised area of ground that slopes at the sides, often at the edge of something or dividing something There were low banks of earth between the rice fields. The girls ran down the steep grassy bank.
- 6an artificial slope built at the side of a road, so that cars can drive fast around bends of cloud/snow, etc.
- 7a mass of cloud, snow, etc., especially one formed by the wind The sun disappeared behind a bank of clouds.
- 8a row or series of similar objects, especially machines a bank of lights/switches/computers Idioms
for money
to make a lot of money easily and feel very pleased about it
if you say something won't break the bank, you mean that it won't cost a lot of money, or more than you can afford We can just get a sandwich if you want—that won't break the bank.
Check pronunciation: bank