noun

tank

Translation

tank, container, cistern, armored vehicle

We need to fill the petrol tank.

We need to fill the gas tank.

I bought a new fish tank.

The army sent in the tanks.

a ((tank)) of (sth.) a container holding (sth.) I bought a new fish tank.

the ((tank)) the military vehicle The army sent in the tanks.

Synonyms: (container) reservoir, container, cistern; (vehicle) armored vehicle

From Portuguese 'tanque' or Gujarati 'tankh', meaning 'cistern' or 'artificial lake'. The military sense is from WWI, a code name for the vehicles.

The word covers two very different images: a simple box for water (fish tank) and a powerful war machine. Remember both contexts.