bank English · revision 2560

+ English has three words spelled ''bank'', all going back to the same Germanic word as [[bench]], but reaching English by different routes.^(COED 2004)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bæŋk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|slope, ridge}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1200 (Ormulum)|origins=non bakki}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The slope is [[inh|enm|banke]], probably borrowed from a Scandinavian source,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) such as [[non|*banki]], a variant of [[m|non|bakki|t=ridge, river bank, mound]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002) compare Old Danish ''banke'' “sandbank”, Swedish [[m|sv|backe]] and Danish [[m|da|bakke|t=hill]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from [[gem-pro|*bankô|t=slope]], related to [[gem-pro|*bankiz|t=shelf]], the source of [[bench]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) Barnhart notes that the word is not found in Old English, and that Old English hōbanca “couch” is often cited but has no real semantic connection.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A raised ridge or mound of earth: about 1200, in the ''Ormulum'',^(Barnhart 1988) or about 1200 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sloping ground beside a river or lake is from the 14th century,^(Hoad 1986) and a hillside from 1362.^(OED 1989) A shoal or rising ground in the sea, as a ''sandbank'', is from 1605,^(OED 1989) and a long mass of cloud from before 1626.^(OED 1989) The verb “to border, confine within a bank” is from 1590;^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) “to rise in banks” is by 1870, of an aircraft tilting in a turn from 1911,^(Etymonline) and in billiards “to play the ball off the cushion” by 1909, from ''bank-shot''.^(Etymonline) In the north of England ''bank'' still means a hill or slope.^(Wright 1898)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – a ridge (''Ormulum'').^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1362 – a hillside.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1590 – verb, to border with a bank.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1605 – a shoal.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1909 – verb, in billiards.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1911 – verb, of an aircraft.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The sloping land beside a river, lake or channel.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A steep natural incline; an artificial [[embankment]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A piled-up mass, as of snow or clouds.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A raised area of the sea floor; a [[shoal]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # The cushion of a billiard table.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To border or protect with a bank.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To pile up; to cover a fire so that it burns low.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To tilt an aircraft or vehicle sideways in turning.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[embankment]]

+ * [[sandbank]]

+ * [[riverbank]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|money}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1474 (Caxton)|origins=goh bank}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The financial institution is [[bor|frm|banque]] and Italian [[m|it|banca|t=bench, table]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) from [[la-med|banca]] or [[m|la-med|bancus]],^(SOED 2002) from a Germanic source such as [[goh|bank|t=bench, moneylender's table]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) The original idea is the money-changer's table or counter.^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The place of business of a money-dealer: 1474, in Caxton's ''Game and Play of the Chess'',^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) and 1475 in the phrase ''the banke de Medicys''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A sum of money is from 1515,^(OED 1989) and an establishment for keeping and lending money from 1482^(HTOED) or the 1620s.^(Etymonline) In games of chance the money held by the dealer or the house is a ''bank'' from about 1720.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The verb “to act as banker” is from 1727–51,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) “to deposit in a bank” from 1833,^(Etymonline) and “to rely on” from 1884, American colloquial.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''Bank holiday'' is from 1871.^(Etymonline) A store of blood or tissue for later use is a ''bank'' from the 1930s, first in the United States.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1474 – a money-dealer's shop (Caxton).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1515 – a sum of money.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1720 – the bank in gambling.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1727–51 – verb, to keep a bank.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1833 – verb, to deposit in a bank.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1871 – ''bank holiday''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1884 – ''bank on'', to rely on.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1938 – verb, to store blood or tissue.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A business that keeps money for saving or commercial purposes, and invests, lends or exchanges it.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # The funds of a [[gambling]] establishment or of the dealer in a game.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A supply or store for future use: ''a blood bank''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To deposit in a bank.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To do business with a bank, or operate one.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''bank on'': to rely on.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[banker]]

+ * [[banking]]

+ * [[bankable]]

+ * [[bankrupt]]

+ * [[bank holiday]]

+

+ {{homograph|3|row, tier}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1200 (Layamon)|origins=gem-pro *bankiz}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The row is [[inh|enm|banc|t=bench]], [[bor|fro|banc|t=bench]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) of Germanic origin, akin to [[goh|bank]] and Old English [[m|ang|benc]], the source of [[bench]].^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A bench: probably before 1200, in Layamon's ''Brut'',^(Barnhart 1988) or before 1050 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A seat of justice is from 1275.^(OED 1989) The bench occupied by the rowers of each oar in a galley is from 1599, a tier of oars from 1614,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) which led to the modern sense “a row”, first of keys on an organ in 1884 and on a typewriter in 1875.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) Merriam-Webster dates the row sense to 1614.^(MW Collegiate) In printing, a ''bank'' was the table that received printed sheets, from 1565.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – a bench (Layamon).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1275 – a seat of justice.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1599 – a rowers' bench in a galley.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1614 – a tier of oars.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1875 – a row of keys on a typewriter.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A set of similar things arranged in a row: ''a bank of elevators''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # A row of keys on a [[keyboard]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A bench for rowers in a [[galley]]; a row of oars.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To arrange in a row.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[banco]]

+ * [[bench]]

+ * [[banc]]

+ * [[banquette]]

+ * [[banquet]]

+ * [[mountebank]]

+ * [[bunk]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}