fan

[ fan ]

/ fæn /

noun

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.

Origin of fan

before 900; Middle English, Old English fann < Latin vannus winnowing basket

OTHER WORDS FROM fan

fan·like, adjective fan·ner, noun un·fanned, adjective

Words nearby fan

famotidine, famous, famous last words, famously, famulus, fan, fan base, fan belt, fan club, fan dance, fan delta

Example sentences from the Web for fanning

Nobody wins, but the professional partisans get to pocket cash by fanning the flames.

The Absurd Impeachment Feedback Loop |John Avlon |July 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The actors stayed in the same motel, and Eisenberg and Fanning drove to work each day.

Dakota Fanning on ‘Night Moves,’ Climate Change, and Hollywood’s Poor Treatment of Women |Marlow Stern |May 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Fanning, ever the old soul, returned the gestures by knitting the veteran actors scarves.

Dakota Fanning on ‘Night Moves,’ Climate Change, and Hollywood’s Poor Treatment of Women |Marlow Stern |May 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Tanaka then settled into a groove, pitching shut-out ball for the next five innings, fanning eight as the Yankees won 7-3.

Masahiro Tanaka Is the Yankees' $155M Lethal Weapon and Strikeout Machine |Allen Barra |May 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Tea Party–based political operatives are fanning out across the country in anticipation of 2014.

The Tea Party Isn’t Dead Yet |David Freedlander |July 29, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Pharaoh was ill-humoured and impatient, neither fan nor fanning was right, and when the boy left off that was not right either.

I.N.R.I. |Peter Rosegger
Meanwhile Miles has taken up the fan and is fanning Joan, who leans back in her chair with closed eyes and exhausted look.

Six Plays |Florence Henrietta Darwin
Jack came puffing and fanning himself with his handkerchief.

Polly's Southern Cruise |Lillian Elizabeth Roy
The torch swept around, fanning to a blaze in the eddying air, then darted toward the keg.

The Pirate Woman |Aylward Edward Dingle
"She couldn't marry as long as she had Gerald to look after," said Miss Vanderwerf, fanning herself in the moonlight.

Vanitas |Vernon Lee

British Dictionary definitions for fanning (1 of 2)

fan ¹

/ (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

verb fans, fanning or fanned (mainly tr)

to cause a current of air, esp cool air, to blow upon, as by means of a fan to fan one's face

to agitate or move (air, smoke, etc) with or as if with a fan

to make fiercer, more ardent, etc fan 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, adjective fanner, noun

Word Origin for fan

Old English fann, from Latin vannus

British Dictionary definitions for fanning (2 of 2)

fan ²

/ (fæn) /

noun

an ardent admirer of a pop star, film actor, football team, etc

a devotee of a sport, hobby, etc

Word Origin for fan

C17, re-formed C19: from fan ( atic)

Idioms and Phrases with fanning

fan

In addition to the idiom beginning with fan

fan the flames

also see:

shit will hit the fan

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

fan

noun

verb (used with object), fanned, fan·ning.

verb (used without object), fanned, fan·ning.

Idioms for fan

Origin of fan

OTHER WORDS FROM fan

Words nearby fan

Example sentences from the Web for fanning

British Dictionary definitions for fanning (1 of 2)

noun

verb fans, fanning or fanned (mainly tr)

Derived forms of fan

Word Origin for fan

British Dictionary definitions for fanning (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for fan

Idioms and Phrases with fanning

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

fan

noun

verb (used with object), fanned, fan·ning.

verb (used without object), fanned, fan·ning.

Idioms for fan

Origin of fan

OTHER WORDS FROM fan

Words nearby fan

Words related to fanning

Example sentences from the Web for fanning

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for fanning (1 of 2)

noun

verb fans, fanning or fanned (mainly tr)

Derived forms of fan

Word Origin for fan

British Dictionary definitions for fanning (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for fan

Idioms and Phrases with fanning

British Dictionary definitions for fanning (1 of 2)