And, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one
stalk, rank and good. --Gen. xli. 5.
2. Raised to a high degree; violent; extreme; gross; utter;
as, rank heresy. ``Rank nonsense.'' --Hare. ``I do forgive
thy rankest fault.'' --Shak.
3. Causing vigorous growth; producing luxuriantly; very rich
and fertile; as, rank land. --Mortimer.
4. Strong-scented; rancid; musty; as, oil of a rank smell;
rank-smelling rue. --Spenser.
5. Strong to the taste. ``Divers sea fowls taste rank of the
fish on which they feed.'' --Boyle.
6. Inflamed with venereal appetite. [Obs.] --Shak.
{Rank modus} (Law), an excessive and unreasonable modus. See
{Modus}, 3.
{To set} (the iron of a plane, etc.) {rank}, to set so as to
take off a thick shaving. --Moxon.