flank

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The section of flesh on the body of a person or an animal between the last rib and the hip; the side.
2. n. A cut of meat from the flank of an animal.
3. n. A lateral part or side: the flank of a mountain.
4. n. The right or left side of a military formation: an attack on both flanks.
5. n. The right or left side of a bastion.
6. v. To protect or guard the flank of.
7. v. To menace or attack the flank of.
8. v. To be placed or situated at the flank or side of: Two stone lions flanked the entrance.
9. v. To put (something) on each side of: flanked the driveway with tall shrubs.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The posterior part of either side of an animal, between the ribs and the hip; also, the thin piece of flesh constituting this part.
2. n. In entomology, the pleura or side of an insect's thorax.
3. n. Milit., one of the sides of an army, or of any of its divisions, as a brigade, regiment, or battalion: as, to attack the enemy on the right flank.
4. n. Hence A side of anything: as, the flanks of a building.
5. n. In fortification, that part of a bastion which reaches from the curtain to the face, or any part of a work that defends another work by a fire along the outside of its parapet. See cut under bastion.
6. n. The acting surface of a cog inside the pitch-line.
7. n. plural In farriery, a wrench or any other injury to the back of a horse.
8. n. In leather manufacturing, the part of a hide from the side of a beast.
9. Pertaining to a flank or side. Forming a part of, or cut from, the flank: as, a flank piece of meat.
10. To stand or be placed or posted at the flank or side of; border at the side or sides: as, the flanking troops of an army.
11. Specifically Milit.: To attack or threaten the side or flank of; place troops so as to command, threaten, or attack the flank of.
12. To pass round or turn the flank of; march or move along or past one side of, as an opposing army.
13. To secure or guard the flank of: as, they flanked their position with abattis.
14. To occupy a flank position; border; touch: with on.
15. n. A spark or flake of fire.

Wiktionary

1. adj. nautical Maximum (of speed). Historically faster than full speed (the most a vessel can sustain without excessive engine wear or risk of damage), now frequently used interchangeably. Typically used in an emergency or during an attack (All ahead flank!).
2. n. anatomy The flesh between the last rib and the hip; the side.
3. n. cooking A cut of meat from the flank of an animal.
4. n. military The extreme left or right edge of a military formation, army etc.
5. n. The side of something, in general senses.
6. n. The outermost strip of a road.
7. n. soccer The wing, one side of the pitch.
8. v. transitive To attack the flank(s) of something.
9. v. transitive To defend the flank(s) of something.
10. v. transitive To place to the side(s) of something.
11. v. To be placed to the side(s) of something (usually in terms of two objects, one on each side.)

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The fleshy or muscular part of the side of an animal, between the ribs and the hip. See Illust. of beef.
2. n. The side of an army, or of any division of an army, as of a brigade, regiment, or battalion; the extreme right or left.
3. n. (Fort.) That part of a bastion which reaches from the curtain to the face, and defends the curtain, the flank and face of the opposite bastion; any part of a work defending another by a fire along the outside of its parapet.
4. n. (Arch.) The side of any building.
5. n. That part of the acting surface of a gear wheel tooth that lies within the pitch line.
6. v. To stand at the flank or side of; to border upon.
7. v. To overlook or command the flank of; to secure or guard the flank of; to pass around or turn the flank of; to attack, or threaten to attack; the flank of.
8. v. To border; to touch.
9. v. To be posted on the side.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a cut from the fleshy part of an animal's side between the ribs and the leg
2. v. be located at the sides of something or somebody
3. n. the side of military or naval formation
4. n. a subfigure consisting of a side of something
5. n. the side between ribs and hipbone