bank
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To put in a place of safety. "BANK the rag," i.e., secure the note. Also "to bank" is to go shares.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “bank” mean?
To put in a place of safety. "BANK the rag," i.e., secure the note. Also "to bank" is to go shares.
Is “bank” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.