plankplank /plæŋk/ noun [countable] 
a long plank of wood a bridge made of planks2one of the main features or principles of an argument etcplank of an argument/policy/campaign etc the main plank of their argument a central plank of our policy a five-plank campaign including raising the minimum wage → walk the plank at walk1(13), → as thick as two short planks at thick1(7)
WORD ORIGINplank
Origin:
1200-1300 Old North French planke, from Latin planca, from plancus ‘flat’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Cracking down on illegal immigration was one of the state Republicans' major campaign planks.
- Another central plank in this revisionist argument was that there was no such thing as the popular will.
- Dole and Kemp both oppose abortion, and the new Republican platform retains a strong anti-abortion plank.
- Even so, much activity can be encouraged with improvised equipment such as planks, boxes, tyres and barrels.
- Facing him across the bleached wooden plank, Melissa became aware of an extraordinary change in his manner.
- Four fingers were thrust, gripping, through a gap between the planks of the door.
- That plank also opposes the use of public funds for abortion and organizations that advocate abortion.
- The Kansas senator indicated a willingness to make minor changes in the anti-abortion plank in the Republican platform.
- Thus far, only two relatively minor planks of the 10-point House-initiated legislative agenda have become law.
WORD SETS
adobe, nounasphalt, nounbatten, nounbeam, nounblueprint, nounboard, nounboom, nounbreeze-block, nounbrick, nounbricklayer, nounbrickwork, nounbucket, nounbuilder, nounbuilding contractor, nounbuilding site, nounbulldoze, verbbulldozer, nounbuttress, nouncaisson, nouncantilever, nouncastellated, adjectivecavity wall, nouncement, nouncement, verbconcrete, adjectiveconcrete, nounconcrete, verbconduit, nounconstruct, verbcrane, nouncrosspiece, noundaub, noundigger, noundowel, noundrain, noundrainage, noundraughtsman, noundry-stone wall, noundry wall, nounduckboards, noundustsheet, nounembankment, nounerect, verberection, nounfence, verbfencing, nounfiberboard, nounfibreboard, nounfloor plan, nounfoundation, noungantry, noungatepost, noungirder, noungreenfield site, nounhalf-timbered, adjectivehard hat, nounhod, nounhousing association, nounhousing project, nounjackhammer, nounjib, nounjoist, nounkeystone, nounlath, nounleading, nounmansard, nounmortar, nounpanelling, nounpanel pin, nounpave, verbpavement, nounpebbledash, nounpier, nounpile driver, nounplank, nounplanking, nounplaster, nounplaster, verbplasterboard, nounplasterer, nounplate glass, nounpoint, verbPortakabin, nounprime, verbprimer, nounproperty developer, nounputty, nounquantity surveyor, nounrebuild, verbreconstruct, verbreconstruction, nounrefurbish, verbreinforced concrete, nounrendering, nounrenovate, verbrevetment, nounroof, nounroof, verbroofing, nounrooftop, nounrubble, nounsand, verbsandstone, nounsaw, verbscaffold, nounscaffolding, nounshovel, nounsite, nounskip, nounslab, nounslate, nounspan, verbstarter home, nounsteam shovel, nounstilt, nounstucco, nounsurface, verbsuspension bridge, nounthatch, nounthatched, adjectivetile, nountile, verbtiling, nountimber, nountopcoat, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY a long plank of wood the main plank of their argument a central plank of our policyCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a long plank of wood the main plank of their argument a central plank of our policy (=very stupid)
(=a long thin flat piece)· The shed was constructed from some old planks of wood.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Another central plank in this revisionist argument was that there was no such thing as the popular will.· Cracking down on illegal immigration was a central campaign plank.· The central plank of the new policy was rural development.· Wilson had made National Self-Determination the central plank of his 1916 election campaign for a second term in office.· The plan was the central plank of the Government's strategy to save 18,500 post offices around Britain.
· The main plank of a campaign he hopes will overturn the Conservative's slender 1,400 majority in the seat.· Unionists did though make war service a main plank of their electioneering whenever they had the chance.· One of the main planks of the anti-airfield platform was, as usual, aircraft noise.· Two surveys whose findings are published today show that many voters are unsure about some main planks of Government policy.
· These form the major planks in our future strategy.· But the major plank of the defence was provided by the remarkable lady journalist Suzanne Cronjé.· Between them the two major planks of the strategy had yielded £5,264,500.· The whole initiative is a major plank in a beefy relaunch of Picture Lions, timed for May.
· Pete Wilson is a naif who had no idea anybody would care what he had to say about the Republican anti-abortion plank?
· Facing him across the bleached wooden plank, Melissa became aware of an extraordinary change in his manner.· The water was above his ankles, flowing over the wooden plank he slept on.· Stripped or new brick makes a good kitchen background, so does tongue-and-groove wood panelling or panelling of wide wooden planks.· But the ceiling is made of rough wooden planks and the floor of mud.· There were wooden planks beneath them which seemed to lie against their bones.· Presently he was there, he had arrived at the wooden planks and the criss-crossed supports of the bridge.· A stevedore negligently dropped a wooden plank into the hold of the ship.· I revived as I felt myself go hurtling through the air and crashed down on to the wooden planks of the scaffold.
NOUN· The surviving floors, though, were of clay, which might imply that there had once been plank floors above them.· It was almost entirely filled by its sole piece of furniture-a straw mattress raised above the plank floor on a platform.· Mushrooms bounced about the plank floor.· Alternatively the cleanliness of the pit base has been viewed as an indication that the pit had plank floors at ground level.· Some certainly did have plank floors in the pit base.· The chambers of the pit were lined with stones with a plank floor and plank sides.
· The convention could include a battle over whether to retain the platform plank calling for a constitutional ban on abortion.
VERB· But the ceiling is made of rough wooden planks and the floor of mud.· She took off her muff and laid it down on the rough table made of planks and bricks.· She climbed up on to the rickety driving platform, which had been made by tying a plank across the cab.· At the foot of the steps is a shack made of bamboo and planks of wood.
· Both are completely geared to novices, with plenty of other distractions if walking the plank doesn't suit.· Keel-hauling, walking the plank, that sort of thing.· The survivors had to jump from their sinking ship or walk on wobbling planks in order to be taken aboard.· The signal was for Mr Amato, 61, to walk the plank.· I'd like to make him walk his rotten plank.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1a long narrow piece of wooden board, used especially for making structures to walk on: - Both are completely geared to novices, with plenty of other distractions if walking the plank doesn't suit.
- Keel-hauling, walking the plank, that sort of thing.
- The signal was for Mr Amato, 61, to walk the plank.
a long plank of wood a bridge made of planks2one of the main features or principles of an argument etcplank of an argument/policy/campaign etc the main plank of their argument a central plank of our policy a five-plank campaign including raising the minimum wage → walk the plank at walk1(13), → as thick as two short planks at thick1(7)