A vane is a flat blade which pushes or is pushed by wind or water, and forms part of a machine such as a fan, a windmill, or a ship's propeller.
2. See also weather vane
vane in British English
(veɪn)
noun
1. Also called: weather vane, wind vane
a flat plate or blade of metal mounted on a vertical axis in an exposed position to indicate wind direction
2.
any one of the flat blades or sails forming part of the wheel of a windmill
3.
any flat or shaped plate used to direct fluid flow, esp a stator blade in a turbine, etc
4.
a fin or plate fitted to a projectile or missile to provide stabilization or guidance
5. ornithology
the flat part of a feather, consisting of two rows of barbs on either side of the shaft
6. surveying
a.
a sight on a quadrant or compass
b.
the movable marker on a levelling staff
Derived forms
vaned
adjective
vaneless (ˈvaneless)
adjective
Word origin
Old English fana; related to Old Saxon, Old High German fano, Old Norse fani, Latin pannus cloth
Vane in British English
(veɪn)
noun
Sir Henry, known as Sir Harry Vane. 1613–62, English Puritan statesman and colonial administrator; governor of Massachusetts (1636–37). He was executed for high treason after the Restoration
Vane in American English
(veɪn) or Vane (veɪn)
Sir Henry1613-62; Eng. Puritan statesman: colonial governor of Mass. (1636-37)
vane in American English
(veɪn)
noun
1.
a flat piece of metal, strip of cloth, etc. set up high to swing with the wind and show which way it is blowing; weather vane
2.
any of several flat or curved pieces set around an axle and rotated about it by moving air, water, etc. [the vanes of a windmill], or mechanically rotated to move the air or water [the vanes of a turbine] or to compress the air [the vanes of a supercharger]
3.
a projecting fixed or movable plate or strip of metal attached to a rocket, missile, etc. to provide stability or guidance
4.
a target set to slide on a leveling rod, for use in surveying
5.
any of the sights on a compass, quadrant, etc.
6.
a.
the flat part of a feather with barbs; web
b.
a feather on an arrow, used to stabilize flight
Derived forms
vaned
adjective
Word origin
S Brit var. of fane, small flag or pennon < OE fana, a flag < PGmc *fanan- < IE base *pan- > pane
vane in Chemical Engineering
(veɪn)
Word forms: (regular plural) vanes
noun
(Chemical Engineering: General)
A vane is an object that is suspended in a flow, and turns to show the direction of the flow.
Measures using a vane relate only to streamline flow and give no indication of eddy currents or turbulentflow.
The rate at which the vane rotates depends on the velocity of the flow.
A vane is an object that is suspended in a flow, and turns to show the direction of theflow.
Examples of 'vane' in a sentence
vane
You're all in uniform, you can swing from the weather vane and nobody's going to mind.