The front row or leading position in a formation; the foremost rank of soldiers or people arranged in lines.
From 'fore-' (before, front) + 'rank' (from Old French ranc, meaning row or line). Describes the first row in a military or organizational formation.
Medieval knights feared forerank positions because you'd face enemy charges first with no retreating soldiers behind you—hence why nobility often bought their way into safer middle ranks, and peasant conscripts got the deadly front positions.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.