fan
Forms
- Plural
- fans
- present (v1)
- fan
- past (v2)
- fanned
- past participle (v3)
- fanned
- present participle
- fanning
- 3rd person singular
- fans
Definitions
1.A hand-held device consisting of concertinaed material, or slats of material, gathered together at one end, that may be opened out into the shape of a sector of a circle and waved back and forth in order to move air towards oneself and cool oneself.
- How apt is the flutter of the fan to express the different affections of the belle: there is the angry flutter, the modest flutter, the timorous flutter, the confused flutter etc.
2.An electrical or mechanical device for moving air, used for cooling people, machinery, etc.
- He didn't switch on the fan because the temperature was 15 degrees Celsius.
3.The action of fanning; agitation of the air.
- "If I cannot be of service, then I certainly don't wish to impose," said McGinty, with a quick fan of breeze that indicated a sweeping bow.
4.Anything resembling a hand-held fan in shape, e.g., a peacock’s tail.
1.To slap (a behind, especially).
2.To blow air on (something) by means of a fan (hand-held, mechanical or electrical) or otherwise.
- We enjoyed standing at the edge of the cliff, being fanned by the wind.
3.To move or spread in multiple directions from one point, in the shape of a hand-held fan.
4.To dispel by waving a hand-held fan.
- I attempted to fan the disagreeable odour out of the room.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #895
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English fan, inherited from Old English fann (“a winnowing, fan”), derived from Latin vannus (“fan for winnowing grain”), derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂weh₁- (“to blow”).
Cognates
* Latin ventus (“wind”)
* Dutch wan (“winnowing basket”)