plank

American  

[plangk] / plæŋk /

noun

1. a long, flat piece of timber, thicker than a board.

2. lumber in such pieces; planking.

3. something to stand on or to cling to for support.

4. any one of the stated principles or objectives comprising the political platform of a party campaigning for election.

   They fought for a plank supporting a nuclear freeze.

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verb (used with object)

planks, present (3rd person singular) planked, past participle, past planking present participle

1. to lay, cover, or furnish with planks.

2. to bake or broil and serve (steak, fish, chicken, etc.) on a wooden board.

3. plunk.

idioms

1. walk the plank,

   1. to be forced, as by pirates, to walk to one's death by stepping off a plank extending from the ship's side over the water.

   2. to relinquish something, as a position, office, etc., under compulsion.

      We suspect that the new vice-president walked the plank because of a personality clash.

plank ¹ British  

/ plæŋk /

noun

1. a stout length of sawn timber

2. something that supports or sustains

3. one of the policies in a political party's programme

4. to be forced by pirates to walk to one's death off the end of a plank jutting out over the water from the side of a ship

5. slang a stupid person; idiot

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verb

1. to cover or provide (an area) with planks

2. to beat (meat) to make it tender

3. to cook or serve (meat or fish) on a special wooden board

plank ² British  

/ plæŋk /

verb

1. (tr) to hide; cache

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plank More Idioms  

1. see walk the plank.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unplanked
  adjective
• plankless
  adjective
• planklike
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has planked
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have planked
  perfect
• is planking
  progressive 3rd person singular
• has been planking
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• have been planking
  perfect progressive
• are planking
  progressive
• planks
  singular 3rd person
• planking
  participle
• am planking
  progressive 1st person singular

Past

• had planked
  perfect
• had been planking
  perfect progressive
• were planking
  progressive plural
• was planking
  progressive singular
• planked
  participle
• planked
  simple

Future

• will plank
  simple
• will have planked
  perfect
• will be planking
  progressive
• will have been planking
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of plank

1275–1325; Middle English planke < Old North French < Latin planca board, plank. See planch

Explanation

A plank is a board or another rectangular piece of wood. When you're building your four-story treehouse, you'll need a lot of planks. If you've ever watched a movie about pirates, you've heard of "walking the plank," a despicable way to punish captives, forcing them to plunge off the end of a plank (or a "gang plank") into the ocean below. Planks are more commonly used to build houses or hold a fish as it cooks on a grill. Another kind of plank is a political platform, like a candidate's environmental plank, focused on reducing carbon emissions.

Example Sentences

A consortium has agreed to buy Patrick Drahi’s French telecommunications operations for more than $23 billion, in a deal that dismantles a major plank of the billionaire’s once-sprawling business empire.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

Following widespread complaints that insurers have delayed, denied and underpaid January 2025 fire claims, tougher regulation of insurers is a common campaign plank.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

The plank involves holding a position similar to a push-up for an extended period to work core abdominal muscles as well as the back, shoulders, arms and glutes.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Earnings are likely to form the central plank of that view.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

“That was us, not taking care of you. Hold on now, this won’t hurt a bit,” I say, trying to work the pry bar along the plank that came loose.

From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick

Related Words

• lumber
• platform
• slab
• timber