2 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Wean \Wean\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Weaned}; p. pr & vb n.
{Weaning}.] [OE. wenen, AS wenian, wennan, to accustom; akin
to D. wennen, G. gew["o]hnen, OHG. giwennan Icel. venja, Sw
v["a]nja, Dan. v[ae]nne, Icel. vanr accustomed, wont; cf AS
[=a]wenian to wean, G. entw["o]hnen. See {Wont}, a.]
1. To accustom and reconcile, as a child or other young
animal, to a want or deprivation of mother's milk; to take
from the breast or udder; to cause to cease to depend on
the mother nourishment.
And the child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made
a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
--Gen. xxi. 8.
2. Hence to detach or alienate the affections of from any
object of desire; to reconcile to the want or loss of
anything ``Wean them from themselves.'' --Shak.
The troubles of age were intended . . . to wean us
gradually from our fondness of life. --Swift.
From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]:
weaning
n : the act of substituting other food for the mother's milk in
the diet of a child or young mammal [syn: {ablactation}]
more about weaning
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