Emily Dickinson Lexicon
Definition for RANK'NESS
RANK'NESS, n.
- Vigorous growth; luxuriance; exuberance; as, the rankness of plants or herbage.
- Exuberance; excess; extravagance; as, the rankness of pride; the rankness of joy. – Shak.
- Extraordinary strength. The crane's pride is in the rankness of her wing. – L'Estrange.
- Strong taste; as, the rankness of flesh or fish.
- Rancidness; rank smell; as, the rankness of Oil.
- Excessiveness; as, the rankness of a composition or modus. – Blackstone.
Return to page 12 of the letter “R”.