fan
Meanings
Noun
- a device for creating a current of air by movement of a surface or surfaces
- an enthusiastic devotee of sports
- an ardent follower and admirer
- 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.
- An electrical or mechanical device for moving air, used for cooling people, machinery, etc.
- The action of fanning; agitation of the air.
- Anything resembling a hand-held fan in shape, e.g., a peacock’s tail.
- An instrument for winnowing grain, by moving which the grain is tossed and agitated, and the chaff is separated and blown away.
- A small vane or sail, used to keep the large sails of a smock mill always in the direction of the wind.
- A section of a tree having a finite number of branches
- A person who is fond of something or someone, especially an admirer of a performer or aficionado of a sport.
- A unit of length, equivalent to 0.1 tsun (0.01 chek), or 0.00371475 metres.
Verb
- strike out (a batter), (of a pitcher)
- make (an emotion) fiercer
- "fan hatred"
- agitate the air
- separate the chaff from by using air currents
- To blow air on (something) by means of a fan (hand-held, mechanical or electrical) or otherwise.
- To slap (a behind, especially).
- To move or spread in multiple directions from one point, in the shape of a hand-held fan.
- To dispel by waving a hand-held fan.
- To perform a maneuver that involves flicking the top rear of an old-style gun.
- To invigorate, like flames when fanned.
- To winnow grain.
- To apply (the air brake) many times in rapid succession.
- To strike out.
- To strike out (a batter).
Origin / 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”)
*German Wanne (“winnowing basket”)
*Swedish vanna (“a fan for winnowing”)
*Old English windwian (“to fan, winnow”).
More at winnow.
Synonyms
admirer, aficionado, buff, connoisseur, devotee, enthusiast, fan, fanatic, fancier, fancy, fiend, freak, geek, junkie, lover, maniac, partisan, rooter, sports fan, winnow, zealot
Antonyms
anti-fan, hater
Scrabble Score: 6
fan is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL wordfan is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
fan is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary