fan
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.
Noun 4 meanings
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.
“He didn't switch on the fan because the temperature was 15 degrees Celsius.”
The action of fanning; agitation of the air.
Anything resembling a hand-held fan in shape, e.g., a peacock’s tail.
Verb 4 meanings
To blow air on (something) by means of a fan (hand-held, mechanical or electrical) or otherwise.
“We enjoyed standing at the edge of the cliff, being fanned by the wind.”
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.
“I attempted to fan the disagreeable odour out of the room.”
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”).
Similar and opposite words
FAN at a glance
FAN has 3 letters and scores 6 points in Scrabble (F 4 + A 1 + N 1) and 7 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #1,231 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with fan
All rhymes- SUPERFAN13
- TURBOFAN13
- ENDOSULFAN14
- BUSULFAN13
- SARAFAN10
- NONFAN9
- TAILFAN10
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