To outrank, to take precedence of.
[1842. It won’t be long before he fills the place of some one of the drones and cakes who now outrank him.—Phila. Spirit of the Times, Sept. 1].
[1855. Their vexation increases when they find my guests all outranking myself. The envious rascals! Beware of envy, Geordie—it is the dirtiest, sneakingest, meanest little passion in the world, the younger brother of vanity, furnishing all the venom to its sleek-skinned and painted senior.—W. G. Simms, ‘The Forayers,’ p. 532 (N.Y.)].
1860. I shall [submit my reasons], but not until other Senators are heard who rank me in age, experience, and wisdom.—Mr. Latham of California, U.S. Senate, Dec. 10: Cong. Globe, p. 27/3.
1861. I think there were six officers serving at the navy-yard with Commander Dahlgren; one or two ranking him, the others his juniors.—Mr. Henry M. Rice of Minnesota, the same, July 31: id., p. 361/1.
1862. His two ranking officers were both gone.—Yale Lit. Mag., xxix. 80.
1865. “That’s right,” politely observed Grant; “the President ranks us both.”—N.Y. Herald, in Morning Star, May 27. (N.E.D.)
1884. Another remark from Bragg was followed by these words from Longstreet: “Yes, sir, you rank me, but you cannot cashier me.”—‘Southern Hist. Soc. Papers,’ xii. 223. (Italics in the original.)
1885. Sherman looked serious as he inquired, “Are you going to call on him?” “No,” I replied, “I am not making calls just now.” “But I must,” said Sherman, “for he ranks me.”—Admiral D. D. Porter, ‘Incidents of the Civil War,’ p. 130.
1885. The ranking lady had a sabre which her chief had received as a present, and this she waved over the others in command.—Mrs. Custer, ‘Boots and Saddles,’ p. 137 (N.Y.).
1888. Assigning quarters according to rank goes on smoothly for a time, but occasionally an officer reports for duty who ranks everyone.—The same, ‘Tenting on the Plains,’ p. 373.
1888. It was quite a ranking affair, when two full majors conducted the sides [for the buffalo hunt].—Id., p. 610.
1901. Serjeant-Major Ross, the ranking man of the party, and as brave as any, offered a respectful protest against going further.—W. Pittenger, ‘The Great Locomotive Chase,’ p. 100.
