From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishflankflank1 /flæŋk/ noun [countable] 1 HBthe side of an animal’s or person’s body, between the ribs and the hip2 PMASIDEthe side of an army in a battle, or a sports team when playing We were attacked on our left flank.3 SIDEthe side of a hill, mountain, or very large building
Examples from the Corpus
flank• The adult male's back and flanks are azure blue, shading to yellowish on the belly.• Similar trends in reservoir quality are noted with a detectable improvement in reservoir quality towards the basin flank.• Four 109s came in on the left flank, firing from such a ridiculous range that Patterson knew the pilots were inexperienced.• With one fierce and skilful kick of his aching foot he will mend a deep concavity in the refrigerator's flank.• He lay the back of his hand against the flank.• An angular unconformity recognised in the Upper Carboniferous on the flanks of the London-Brabant Massif was of particular interest in this respect.• I was out on the flank with my platoon, and to my right was some high elephant grass.flankflank2 verb [transitive] WITHto be on both sides of someone or something Lewis entered flanked by two bodyguards. mountains flanking the road→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
flank• Parked outside her flat, the 325i gleams, its perfect lines embarrassing the cars flanking it.• A review of the honey bees is flanked by a fascinating description of the less well known bumble bees.• At length they came to another smaller gate, flanked by a gloriously lopsided storybook cottage.• Further round soared the precipitous south west rockface of Baruntse, flanked by its satellite range of peaks.• Canning and Lamb were flanked by police in the oak-panelled courtroom and stared straight ahead throughout the hearing, saying nothing.• Occasionally, like a liner, they passed an estancia with stables and a drive flanked by poplars and sailed on.• The façade is flanked by symmetric towers.• Somehow, he managed to flank Pat Buchanan on the right, to no avail.Origin flank1 (1000-1100) Old French flanc 