frank
adjective
[ fraŋk ]
• open, honest, and direct in speech or writing, especially when dealing with unpalatable matters.
• "a long and frank discussion"
Similar:
candid,
direct,
forthright,
plain,
plain-spoken,
straight,
straightforward,
straight from the shoulder,
explicit,
unequivocal,
unambiguous,
unvarnished,
bald,
to the point,
no-nonsense,
matter-of-fact,
open,
honest,
truthful,
sincere,
guileless,
artless,
outspoken,
bluff,
blunt,
brutal,
unsparing,
upfront,
warts and all,
on the level,
on the up and up,
round,
free-spoken,
Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘free’): from Old French franc, from medieval Latin francus ‘free’, from Francus (see Frank: only Franks had full freedom in Frankish Gaul). Another Middle English sense was ‘generous’, which led to the current sense.
frank
verb
• stamp an official mark on (a letter or parcel) to indicate that postage has been paid or does not need to be paid.
• "each cover will be franked with a specially designed postmark"
frank
noun
• an official mark or signature on a letter or parcel, indicating that postage has been paid or does not need to be paid.
Origin:
early 18th century: from frank1, an early sense being ‘free of obligation’.
frank
noun
• short for frankfurter.
Frank
noun
• a member of a Germanic people that conquered Gaul in the 6th century and controlled much of western Europe for several centuries afterwards.
Origin:
Old English Franca, of Germanic origin; perhaps from the name of a weapon and related to Old English franca ‘javelin’ (compare with Saxon); reinforced in Middle English by medieval Latin Francus and Old French Franc, of the same origin and related to French.
