WordGarden.ioplank
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /plˈæŋk/
US
- /ˈplæŋk/
Meanings
Noun
a long flat piece of wood used especially in building or flooring
an exercise position held face down with the body straight and supported off the floor
a key point in a political platform or program
Verb
to cover, floor, or build with planks
to hold the body in a plank exercise position
Beyond the definition
A plank is most commonly a long, flat piece of wood, the kind used in floors, decks, bridges, or old ships. People also know it as a fitness exercise where you hold your body straight and still to work your core. In politics, a plank is one important idea or policy in a party's platform. The image is simple: just as a platform can be built from boards, a political platform is built from key positions.
You might lay down a plank to fix a deck, hold a plank for a minute during a workout, or debate a key plank in a party plan. The phrase "walking the plank" is famous from pirate stories, even though it belongs more to fiction than to common real-life history.
The word "plank" has several meanings, all linked in some way to the idea of something long, flat, and firm. Its basic meaning is a long, fairly thick board of wood. Historically, planks were essential in building ships, docks, floors, fences, and other wooden structures. You might picture a weathered plank in an old pier or a solid one making up part of a deck or floor.
The word is also widely used in fitness. In the plank exercise, you hold your body in a straight line, usually supported by your forearms or hands and your toes. The name comes from the idea that your body should stay as straight and steady as a board. It looks simple, but it can be hard to maintain because it works the muscles of the stomach, back, and shoulders.
There is also a political meaning. In that context, a plank is one of the main policies or principles in a political party's platform. A speaker might refer to an education plank, a tax plank, or an environmental plank. This meaning comes from the same picture of building something solid piece by piece. Whether it refers to a wooden board, an exercise, or a policy point, "plank" usually suggests strength, support, and structure.
Examples
- 1
Flooring
The floor creaked because one plank was loose.
- 2
Storm preparation
They nailed wooden planks over the broken window before the storm arrived.
- 3
Exercise
She can hold a plank for a full minute now.
- 4
Campaign promise
Affordable childcare became a central plank of the mayor’s campaign.
- Patterna plank of + plan/campaign
one of its main ideas or promises
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Job punishment
After the scandal, two senior managers were forced to walk the plank.
- Phrasewalk the plank
lose your job or position as punishment
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- planknounverb
Forms
- plankspluralnounverb
- planking-ing formverbnoun
- plankedpast tenseverbnoun