tank

Etymology 1

From Portuguese tanque (“tank, liquid container”), originally from Indian vernacular for a large artificial water reservoir, cistern, pool, etc., for example, Gujarati ટાંકી (ṭā̃kī) or Marathi टाकी (ṭākī). Compare the Arabic verb اِسْتَنْقَعَ (istanqaʕa, “to become stagnant, to stagnate”). In the sense of armoured vehicle, first attested in 1915, prototypes were described as tanks for carrying water to disguise their nature as well as due to physical resemblance.

noun

1. A closed container for liquids or gases.
2. An open container or pool for storing water or other liquids.
3. A pond, pool, or small lake, natural or artificial.
   The tanks are full and the grass is high. 1896, Henry Lawson, Out Back
4. The fuel reservoir of a vehicle.
5. The amount held by a container; a tankful.
   I burned three tanks of gas on the drive to New York.
6. An armoured fighting vehicle, armed with a gun, and moving on caterpillar tracks.
   Tank beats everything! Oh, man! I could do this all day! 25 September 2007, Bungie, Halo 3, v1.0, Microsoft Game Studios, [[w:Xbox 360, level/area: The Ark|Xbox 360, level/area: The Ark]]
7. (Australia, India) A reservoir or dam.
8. (Southwestern US, chiefly Texas) A large metal container for holding drinking water for animals, usually placed near a wind-driven water pump, in an animal pen or field.
9. (Southwestern US, chiefly Texas) By extension a small pond for the same purpose.
10. (colloquial) A very muscular and physically imposing person. Somebody who is built like a tank.
11. (role-playing games, board games, video games) a unit or character designed primarily around damage absorption and holding the attention of the enemy (as opposed to dealing damage, healing, or other tasks).
12. (US, slang) A prison cell, or prison generally.
13. (poker, slang) A metaphorical place where a player goes to contemplate a decision; see in the tank.
14. (rail transport) Short for tank engine and tank locomotive.
    Before their conversion to 4-6-0 tender locomotives, the L.B. & S.C.R. Baltic tank engines Nos. 330 to 334 measured 50 ft. 5 in. over buffers; the nearest present approach to this figure is the 49 ft. 10½ in. of the remaining ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire Hughes type 4-cylinder 4-6-4 tanks of the L.M.S.R. The Furness and G. & S.W.R. 4-6-4 tanks of the same company, all now scrapped, were, respectively, 49 ft. 1½ in. and 47 ft. 8 in. long. 1941 September, “The Why and the Wherefore: The Longest Tank Locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, pages 431–432

verb

1. To fail or fall (often used in describing the economy or the stock market); to degenerate or decline rapidly; to plummet.
   He told me about all the odd jobs he'd taken after I was born, when Michigan's economy was tanking. For one, he crisscrossed the Midwest buying old carpets from dentists' offices. 2008 October, Davy Rothbart, “How I caught up with dad”, in Men's Health, volume 23, number 8, →ISSN, page 112
   "… If the economy has tanked... then we don't want to over-promise and under-deliver." October 5 2022, “Network News: Private sector's role in a publicly-owned railway”, in RAIL, number 967, page 16
2. (video games) To attract the attacks of an enemy target in cooperative team-based combat, so that one's teammates can defeat the enemy in question more efficiently.
3. (transitive) To put (fuel, etc.) into a tank.
   Sometimes oils are tanked for months or years at a time (e.g., linseed oil). 1913, Geoffrey Martin, Industrial and manufacturing chemistry
4. To deliberately lose a sports match with the intent of gaining a perceived future competitive advantage.
   Beforehand, Swedish [national ice hockey team] coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson had ruminated about tanking against Slovakia to avoid powerful Canada or the Czechs in the quarters [i.e., quarterfinals of the 2006 Winter Olympic tournament], telling Swedish television, "One is cholera, the other the plague." March 6, 2006, Michael Farber, “Swede Success”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), Sports Illustrated, archived from the original on 2012-11-04
5. (fandom slang) To resist damage; to be attacked without being hurt.
   Unless Bane can tank Helicarrier-busting explosions I'm not sure how he stands a chance. 2015-03-01, DudeFuckMath, “Bane [DC] vs Iron Fist [Marvel]”, in Reddit (r/whowouldwin), retrieved 2017-06-19
   A weakened Superman tanked an explosion 50 times larger than the Kepler's Supernova and the electromagnetic shock wave hit him. 2016-06-02, MercinWithAMouth, “Superman Stongest Feat Ever”, in Comic Vine Forums, retrieved 2017-06-19
   Barda could BFR and I doubt She hulk is tanking a blow from her rod, so she takes. 2016-07-22, Si-Phon Dom, “Big Barda Vs She Hulk”, in Comics Amino, retrieved 2017-06-19
6. (poker, slang) To contemplate a decision for a long time; to go in the tank.
7. to put or keep in a tank
   Concrete below ground must be fully tanked to prevent water uptake.

Etymology 2

noun

1. A small Indian dry measure, averaging 240 grains in weight.
2. A Bombay weight of 72 grains, for pearls.

Etymology 3

verb

1. (Singapore, informal) To stand; to tolerate.