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fan

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fan

 

  5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Fan  \Fan\,  n.  [AS.  fann,  fr  L.  vannus  fan,  van  for  winnowing 
  grain;  cf  F.  van.  Cf  {Van}  a  winnowing  machine,  {Winnow}.] 
  1.  An  instrument  used  for  producing  artificial  currents  of 
  air,  by  the  wafting  or  revolving  motion  of  a  broad 
  surface;  as: 
  a  An  instrument  for  cooling  the  person,  made  of 
  feathers,  paper,  silk,  etc.,  and  often  mounted  on 
  sticks  all  turning  about  the  same  pivot,  so  as  when 
  opened  to  radiate  from  the  center  and  assume  the 
  figure  of  a  section  of  a  circle. 
  b  (Mach.)  Any  revolving  vane  or  vanes  used  for  producing 
  currents  of  air,  in  winnowing  grain,  blowing  a  fire, 
  ventilation,  etc.,  or  for  checking  rapid  motion  by  the 
  resistance  of  the  air;  a  fan  blower;  a  fan  wheel. 
  c  An  instrument  for  winnowing  grain,  by  moving  which  the 
  grain  is  tossed  and  agitated,  and  the  chaff  is 
  separated  and  blown  away 
  d  Something  in  the  form  of  a  fan  when  spread,  as  a 
  peacock's  tail,  a  window,  etc 
  e  A  small  vane  or  sail,  used  to  keep  the  large  sails  of 
  a  smock  windmill  always  in  the  direction  of  the  wind. 
 
  Clean  provender,  which  hath  been  winnowed  with 
  the  shovel  and  with  the  fan.  --Is.  xxx.  24. 
 
  2.  That  which  produces  effects  analogous  to  those  of  a  fan, 
  as  in  exciting  a  flame,  etc.;  that  which  inflames, 
  heightens,  or  strengthens;  as  it  served  as  a  fan  to  the 
  flame  of  his  passion. 
 
  3.  A  quintain;  --  from  its  form  [Obs.]  --Chaucer. 
 
  {Fan  blower},  a  wheel  with  vanes  fixed  on  a  rotating  shaft 
  inclosed  in  a  case  or  chamber,  to  create  a  blast  of  air 
  (fan  blast)  for  forge  purposes,  or  a  current  for  draft  and 
  ventilation;  a  fanner. 
 
  {Fan  cricket}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  mole  cricket. 
 
  {Fan  light}  (Arch.),  a  window  over  a  door;  --  so  called  from 
  the  semicircular  form  and  radiating  sash  bars  of  those 
  windows  which  are  set  in  the  circular  heads  of  arched 
  doorways. 
 
  {Fan  shell}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  shell  of  the  family 
  {Pectinid[ae]}.  See  {Scallop},  n.,  1. 
 
  {Fan  tracery}  (Arch.),  the  decorative  tracery  on  the  surface 
  of  fan  vaulting. 
 
  {Fan  vaulting}  (Arch.),  an  elaborate  system  of  vaulting,  in 
  which  the  ribs  diverge  somewhat  like  the  rays  of  a  fan,  as 
  in  Henry  VII.'s  chapel  in  Westminster  Abbey.  It  is 
  peculiar  to  English  Gothic. 
 
  {Fan  wheel},  the  wheel  of  a  fan  blower. 
 
  {Fan  window}.  Same  as  {Fan  light}  (above). 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Fan  \Fan\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Fanned};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Fanning}.]  [Cf.  OF  vanner,  L.  vannere.  See  {Fan},  n.,  {Van} 
  a  winnowing  machine.] 
  1.  To  move  as  with  a  fan. 
 
  The  air  .  .  .  fanned  with  unnumbered  plumes. 
  --Milton. 
 
  2.  To  cool  and  refresh,  by  moving  the  air  with  a  fan;  to  blow 
  the  air  on  the  face  of  with  a  fan. 
 
  3.  To  ventilate;  to  blow  on  to  affect  by  air  put  in  motion. 
 
  Calm  as  the  breath  which  fans  our  eastern  groves. 
  --Dryden. 
 
  4.  To  winnow;  to  separate  chaff  from  and  drive  it  away  by  a 
  current  of  air;  as  to  fan  wheat.  --Jer.  li  2. 
 
  5.  To  excite  or  stir  up  to  activity,  as  a  fan  axcites  a 
  flame;  to  stimulate;  as  this  conduct  fanned  the 
  excitement  of  the  populace. 
 
  {Fanning  machine},  or  {Fanning  mill},  a  machine  for 
  separating  seed  from  chaff,  etc.,  by  a  blast  of  air;  a 
  fanner. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  fan 
  n  1:  a  device  for  creating  a  current  of  air  by  movement  of  a 
  surface  or  surfaces 
  2:  an  enthusiastic  devotee  of  sports  [syn:  {sports  fan}] 
  3:  an  ardent  follower  [syn:  {buff},  {devotee},  {lover},  {afficionado}] 
  v  1:  strike  out  a  batter,  in  baseball  [syn:  {strike  out}] 
  2:  make  fiercer;  as  of  emotions;  "fan  hatred" 
  3:  agitate  the  air 
  4:  separate  from  chaff;  of  grain  [syn:  {winnow}] 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  fan  n.  Without  qualification,  indicates  a  fan  of  science 
  fiction,  especially  one  who  goes  to  {con}s  and  tends  to  hang  out  with 
  other  fans.  Many  hackers  are  fans,  so  this  term  has  been  imported  from 
  fannish  slang;  however,  unlike  much  fannish  slang  it  is  recognized  by 
  most  non-fannish  hackers.  Among  SF  fans  the  plural  is  correctly  `fen', 
  but  this  usage  is  not  automatic  to  hackers.  "Laura  reads  the  stuff 
  occasionally  but  isn't  really  a  fan." 
 
 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Fan 
  a  winnowing  shovel  by  which  grain  was  thrown  up  against  the  wind 
  that  it  might  be  cleansed  from  broken  straw  and  chaff  (Isa. 
  30:24;  Jer.  15:7;  Matt.  3:12).  (See  {AGRICULTURE}.)




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