wean

American  

[ween] / win /

verb (used with object)

1. to accustom (a child or young animal) to food other than mother's milk; cause to lose the need to suckle or turn to the mother for food.

2. to withdraw (a person, the affections, one's dependency, etc.) from some object, habit, form of enjoyment, or the like.

   The need to reduce had weaned us from rich desserts.

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verb phrase

1. wean on  to accustom to; to familiarize with from, or as if from, childhood.

   a brilliant student weaned on the classics;

   suburban kids weaned on rock music.

wean ¹ British  

/ wiːn /

verb

1. to cause (a child or young mammal) to replace mother's milk by other nourishment

2. (usually foll by from) to cause to desert former habits, pursuits, etc

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wean ² British  

/ weɪn, wiːn /

noun

1. dialect  a child; infant

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Other Word Forms

• postweaning adjective
• preweaning adjective
• unweaned adjective
• weanedness noun
• weaning noun

Etymology

Origin of wean

First recorded before 1000; Middle English wenen, Old English wenian; cognate with Dutch wennen, German gewöhnen, Old Norse venja “to accustom”

Example Sentences

In a report, the coroner raised concerns about paediatric first aid training and staff education over weaning.

From BBC

“I was living in a body hijacked by the medication,” says Danielle, who at 29 still is struggling to wean herself off an antidepressant.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ms Hepburn raised concerns about paediatric first aid training being in date and staff education over weaning.

From BBC

“I was living in a body hijacked by the medication,” said Gansky, 29, who is still struggling to wean herself off an antidepressant.

From The Wall Street Journal

He called the deal a "decisive step toward definitive energy independence from Russian gas" -- a key goal for Europe, which has struggled to wean itself off imports.

From Barron's

Related Words

• discourage