any device for producing a current of air by the movement of a broad surface or a number of such surfaces.
an implement of feathers, leaves, paper, cloth, etc., often in the shape of a long triangle or of a semicircle, for waving lightly in the hand to create a cooling current of air about a person: We sat on the veranda, cooling ourselves with palm-leaf fans.
anything resembling such an implement, as the tail of a bird.
any of various devices consisting essentially of a series of radiating vanes or blades attached to and revolving with a central hublike portion to produce a current of air: ceiling fan; wall fan.
a series of revolving blades supplying air for winnowing or cleaning grain.
Horology. fly1 (def. 28).
a semicircular decoration of bunting.
Physical Geography. an alluvial fan.
verb (used with object),fanned,fan·ning.
to move or agitate (the air) with or as if with a fan.
to cause air to blow upon, as from a fan; cool or refresh with or as if with a fan: He fanned his face with a newspaper.
to stir to activity with or as if with a fan: to fan a flame; to fan emotions.
(of a breeze, current of air, etc.) to blow upon, as if driven by a fan: A cool breeze fanned the shore.
to spread out like a fan: The dealer fanned the cards.
Informal. to move (oneself) quickly: You'll fan your tail out of here if you know what's good for you.
Agriculture. to winnow, especially by an artificial current of air.
Baseball. (of a pitcher) to strike out (a batter).
Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.to punish by spanking; spank: Your mother will fan you good if you break that dish.
verb (used without object),fanned,fan·ning.
to strike, swing, or brush lightly at something.
Western U.S.(chiefly cowboy use). to slap the flanks of (a horse or other animal) repeatedly with a hat to get it to move or move faster.
to spread out like a fan (often followed by out): The forest fire fanned out in all directions.
Baseball. (of a batter) to strike out, usually by swinging at and missing the pitch charged as the third strike.
Idioms for fan
hit the fan, Slang. to become suddenly more awkward, embarrassing, or troublesome: When news of the incident was leaked to the press, everything hit the fan at once.See also shit (def. 26).
Origin of fan
1
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English fann, from Latin vannus “winnowing basket”
OTHER WORDS FROM fan
fanlike,adjectivefanner,nounun·fanned,adjective
Words nearby fan
famous, famous last words, famously, famulus, Famvir, fan, fana, Fanagalo, Fanakalo, FANA test, fanatic
Definition for fan (2 of 3)
fan2
[ fan ]
/ fæn /
noun
an enthusiastic devotee, follower, or admirer of a sport, pastime, celebrity, etc.: a baseball fan; a great fan of Charlie Chaplin.
In his statement, Stepien called the Big Ten’s decision “huge news, not just for college football fans, but for all Americans looking for key indicators that we can reopen our society and our economy, and do so safely.”
Trump contradicts CDC director on vaccine; Biden says Americans shouldn’t trust Trump|Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
With fans unable to experience in-venue activations, many sponsors have also ramped up their activations on social media.
‘We are permanently in beta’: European sports broadcasting is still in a coronavirus-forced state of reinvention|Lara O'Reilly|September 15, 2020|Digiday
Even though they make money off the service through sponsorships and donations from fans, they make sure not to get too attached.
Most chips today are cooled by using thermal materials to transfer heat from components to a large metal heat sink that dissipates the energy to the air, possible with the help of a fan.
This Microchip Has Its Own Built-In Cooling System|Edd Gent|September 14, 2020|Singularity Hub
Suffice it to say Strzok is not a fan of the 45th President of the United States.
Move over, Intel. Nvidia’s the best chipmaker now|Adam Lashinsky|September 14, 2020|Fortune
Replying to a fan, she wrote, “Anthony Goldstein, Ravenclaw, Jewish wizard.”
Harry Potter and the Torah of Terror|Candida Moss, Joel Baden|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It is the most animated this Downton Abbey fan has ever seen Lady Grantham.
The Real-Life ‘Downton’ Millionairesses Who Changed Britain|Tim Teeman|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ramos was a fervent Mets fan and he would often talk to the students about sports.
In The Shadow of Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Or maybe the bespectacled ex-“Dear Leader” was just a really big South Park fan.
Kim Jong Un, Avert Your Eyes: Sony’s ‘The Interview’ Gets the Porn Parody Treatment|Aurora Snow|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The announcement that this movie was happening was an interesting experience for a Whitney Houston fan.
Fan looked at her and shrunk away as she approached, and then turned her eyes, dilating again with fear, towards the door.
Fan|W.H. Hudson (AKA Henry Harford)
The man that marries my Fan has got to have sabe enough to round up a flock of goats—and wit enough to get up in the morning.
They of the High Trails|Hamlin Garland
It needed but a breath to fan the flame to a terrible conflagration.
Sustained honor|John R. Musick,
She too holds a fan, and wears a gown of rich brocade with bodice and sleeves thickly sown with pearls.
Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan and Lorraine, 1522-1590|Julia Cartwright
Without a smile, she took the fan, and they heard some slight sound.
Dorothy Dainty at the Mountains|Amy Brooks
British Dictionary definitions for fan (1 of 2)
fan1
/ (fæn) /
noun
any device for creating a current of air by movement of a surface or number of surfaces, esp a rotating device consisting of a number of blades attached to a central hub
a machine that rotates such a device
any of various hand-agitated devices for cooling onself, esp a collapsible semicircular series of flat segments of paper, ivory, etc
something shaped like such a fan, such as the tail of certain birds
agriculture
a kind of basket formerly used for winnowing grain
a machine equipped with a fan for winnowing or cleaning grain
verbfans, fanningorfanned(mainly tr)
to cause a current of air, esp cool air, to blow upon, as by means of a fanto fan one's face
to agitate or move (air, smoke, etc) with or as if with a fan
to make fiercer, more ardent, etcfan one's passion
(also intr often foll by out) to spread out or cause to spread out in the shape of a fan
to fire (an automatic gun) continuously by keeping the trigger depressed
to fire (a nonautomatic gun) several times by repeatedly chopping back the hammer with the palm
to winnow (grain) by blowing the chaff away from it
Derived forms of fan
fanlike, adjectivefanner, noun
Word Origin for fan
Old English fann, from Latin vannus
British Dictionary definitions for fan (2 of 2)
fan2
/ (fæn) /
noun
an ardent admirer of a pop star, film actor, football team, etc