brank
/ˈbɹeɪ̯ŋk/noun, verb
brank is spelled B-R-A-N-K: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears about once in every 89 million words in written English, the 301,415th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, brank means “A metal bridle formerly used as a torture device to hold the head of a scold and restrain the tongue” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of brank is branks.
How many letters and syllables are in brank?
| Letters | 5: B-R-A-N-K |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 |
| In writing | about once in every 89 million words; the 301,415th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is brank?
Brank appears about once in every 89 million words in written English, the 301,415th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce brank?
- /ˈbɹæŋk/
- [ˈbɹʷæŋk]
- US /ˈbɹeɪ̯ŋk/
Brank has one syllable.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-brank.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with brank?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as brank from its last stressed vowel (/eɪŋk/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of brank
- branks plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- branking participle, present
- branked participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does brank mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A metal bridle formerly used as a torture device to hold the head of a scold and restrain the tongue.
- 2
ScotlandUKobsoleteA sort of bridle with wooden side pieces.
- 3
UKBuckwheat.
verb
- 1
To put someone in the branks.
- 2
ScotlandUKTo hold up and toss the head; applied to horses as spurning the bit.
- 3
ScotlandTo prance; to caper.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Where does brank come from?
Compare Scottish Gaelic brangus, brangas (“a sort of pillory”), Irish brancas (“halter”), or Dutch pranger (“fetter”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).