thank

American  

[thangk] / θæŋk /

verb (used with object)

1. to express gratitude, appreciation, or acknowledgment to.

   She thanked them for their hospitality.

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noun

1. Usually thanks a grateful feeling or acknowledgment of a benefit, favor, or the like, expressed by words or otherwise.

   to return a borrowed book with thanks.

interjection

1. thanks, (used as an informal expression of gratitude, appreciation, or acknowledgment).

idioms

1. no thanks to, (used to express annoyance) not owing to.

   I caught my flight after all, no thanks to you.

2. thanks to, (used to express gratitude or blame) because of; owing to.

   Thanks to good organization and hard work, the benefit concert was a great success.

   The case went poorly thanks to the lawyer's incompetence.

3. thank God, (used as an interjection to express relief, thankfulness, etc.) Also thank goodness, thank heaven

4. have oneself to thank, to be personally to blame; have the responsibility.

   The citizens have only themselves to thank for corruption in government.

5. thank you, (used as an interjection to express gratitude, appreciation, or acknowledgment, as for a gift, favor, service, or courtesy).

thank British  

/ θæŋk /

verb

1. to convey feelings of gratitude to

2. to hold responsible

   he has his creditors to thank for his bankruptcy

3. used in exclamations of relief

   thank goodness

   thank God

4. used ironically to intensify a command, request, etc

   I'll thank you to mind your own business

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thank More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing thank

• give thanks for small blessings

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Other Word Forms

• rethank verb (used with object)
• thanker noun
• unthanked adjective
• unthanking adjective

Etymology

Origin of thank

First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun) “favorable thought, goodwill, gratitude,” (in singular and plural) expression of thanks; Old English thanc (in singular) expression of thanks, originally, “thought, thoughtfulness”; akin to think ¹

Example Sentences

Supporters say it could raise $100 billion over five years, to be spent mostly on public education, food assistance and California’s medicaid program, which face severe cutbacks thanks to federal budget-cutting.

From Los Angeles Times

The army officer, who has worked in various roles in the armed forces since 2001, earlier thanked the "overwhelming" generosity of strangers who had donated towards his recovery.

From BBC

Jefferies Financial slid 1% even after the investment bank reported higher revenue over the fourth quarter thanks to a robust mergers and acquisitions market.

From Barron's

A selloff in October—triggered by a sudden escalation of the trade war with China—caused crypto funds to crash, thanks to record levels of borrowing applied by crypto traders External link to the sector.

From Barron's

Jefferies Financial slid 1% even after the investment bank reported higher revenue over the fourth quarter thanks to a robust mergers and acquisitions market.

From Barron's

Related Words

• acknowledge
• kiss
• praise