fan

[ fan ]

/ fæn /

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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. fly² (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.

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Idioms about 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

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English fann, from Latin vannus “winnowing basket”

OTHER WORDS FROM fan

fanlike, adjectivefanner, nounun·fanned, adjective

Other definitions 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.

OTHER WORDS FOR fan

supporter, enthusiast, partisan, booster, addict.

See synonyms for fan on Thesaurus.com

Origin of fan

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90; short for fanatic

Other definitions for fan (3 of 3)

Fan

[ fan, fahn ]

/ fæn, fɑn /

noun, plural Fans, (especially collectively) Fan.

Fang.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use fan in a sentence

While there’s still no Supernatural spinoff series currently on air or in the works, fans who’ve stuck with the show for 15 seasons undoubtedly still want more.
Supernatural’s bonkers series finale marked the end of an era of fandom|Aja Romano|November 20, 2020|Vox
The biggest change is definitely the omission of a fan in the MacBook Air.
iFixit teardown of M1 MacBooks gives us our first glimpse at the M1 up close|Samuel Axon|November 20, 2020|Ars Technica
Parnassus’s Keith is a fan of Burlington Stores, the third-largest off-price retailer in the country after Ross Stores and TJX.
The 21 best stocks to buy for 2021|Anne Sraders|November 20, 2020|Fortune
During the pandemic, ARMY has also been a lifesaver for fans.
For fans of BTS, the only thing better than the group is each other|Marian Liu|November 20, 2020|Washington Post

She is as big a fan of baseball as I am of motor racing, and her beloved Washington Nationals were being celebrated for having won the World Series, after all.
A luxury crossover with a mainstream price? The 2021 Toyota Venza|Jonathan M. Gitlin|November 19, 2020|Ars Technica
THE RESCUE, 1964 Teams of commandos fanned out over Stanleyville.
‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis|Nina Strochlic|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mr. Rove, you make these claims purely as conjecture without any facts, fanned by the emotions of your partisanship.
Karl Rove’s Awful, and Afactual, Remarks About Hillary Clinton’s Health|Sally Kohn|May 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We sat opposite the Christmas tree, fourteen or so kids fanned around us.
‘Tracing the Blue Light’: Read Chapter 1 of Eileen Cronin’s ‘Mermaid’|Eileen Cronin|April 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Conservatives fanned out to claim that the bill was a big nothingburger.
Are Opponents of Arizona's Anti-Gay Law Eager to Deceive?|Kirsten Powers|March 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some founded a synagogue in Recife, Brazil (now in ruins), then fanned out throughout the Caribbean.
Uncovering Jamaica’s Jewish Past|Debra A. Klein|December 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
And the countess-dowager fanned herself complacently, and neither she nor Maude cared for the absence of a groomsman.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
Gradually, however, the spark grew to a burning mass, which created the draught of air that fanned it.
The Garret and the Garden|R.M. Ballantyne
A light breeze fanned his face, and all around him he could see mountain peaks pushing upward into the clear blue sky.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run|Stanley R. Matthews
No sooner had I felt within, the heatOf love's first flame, than with it flew awayThe gentle breeze, that fanned it into life.
The Poems of Giacomo Leopardi|Giacomo Leopardi
With difficulty his almost imperceptible spark of life had been screened and fanned into a dim and flickering flame.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay

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

verb fans, fanning or fanned (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

a devotee of a sport, hobby, etc

Word Origin for fan

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with fan

fan

In addition to the idiom beginning with fan

fan the flames

also see:

shit will hit the fan

fan

Idioms about fan

Origin of fan

OTHER WORDS FROM fan

Other definitions for fan (2 of 3)

OTHER WORDS FOR fan

Origin of fan

Other definitions for fan (3 of 3)

Words related to fan

How to use fan in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fan (1 of 2)

Derived forms of fan

Word Origin for fan

British Dictionary definitions for fan (2 of 2)

Word Origin for fan

Other Idioms and Phrases with fan