Looking up...
thank
/θæŋk/
express gratitude
I want to thank you for your help.
The speaker is expressing appreciation for the listener's assistance.
neutral
to express gratitude or appreciation to someone
She thanked her teacher for the advice.
She expressed gratitude to her teacher.
He thanked the audience for their applause.
He showed appreciation to the audience.
Used to acknowledge someone's kindness or effort. Often followed by 'for' + noun/gerund.
Collocations
thank youa polite expression of gratitudethank someone for somethingexpress gratitude to someone about a specific thingno thanksa polite refusal
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Polite vs. Informal
Use 'thank you' in formal or polite contexts (e.g., 'Thank you, sir'). Use 'thanks' in casual conversations (e.g., 'Thanks for the gift!').
Gold Rule
Always Use an Object
The verb 'thank' must be followed by a noun or pronoun (e.g., 'Thank him' is correct; 'Thank' alone is incomplete).
Word Origin
From Old English 'þancian' (to give thanks), related to 'þanc' (thought, gratitude), from Proto-Germanic '*þankōną'. Cognates include Dutch 'danken' and German 'danken'.
Usage Notes
The verb 'thank' is transitive and requires an object (e.g., 'thank someone'). The past tense is 'thanked'. The phrase 'thanks' is an informal alternative.
Word Breakdown
thank
express gratitude
rootEnglish Dictionary