van
1[ van ]
/ væn /
noun
the foremost or front division of an army, a fleet, or any group leading an advance or in position to lead an advance.
those who are in the forefront of a movement or the like.
the forefront in any movement, course of progress, or the like.
QUIZZES
TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL PUNCTUATION!
Commas mark divisions in sentences. Periods end declarative sentences. Apostrophes show possession. Easy, right? Well, punctuation can get pretty tricky—fast. Think you got what it takes to be a punctuation expert? Take our quiz to prove it!
Question 1 of 10
Which of the options below is the best punctuation for the sentence? It__s your turn to pick the movie __ but your sister gets to pick the board game we _ re going to play.
Its your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.
It’s your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game were going to play.
It’s your turn to pick the movie, but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUTOrigin of van
1First recorded in 1600–10; short for vanguard
Words nearby van
Definition for van (2 of 5)
van2
[ van ]
/ væn /
noun
a covered vehicle, usually a large truck or trailer, used for moving furniture, goods, animals, etc.
a smaller boxlike vehicle that resembles a panel truck, often has double doors both at the rear and along the curb side, and that can be used as a truck, fitted with rows of seats, or equipped with living quarters for traveling and camping.
British.
- a railway baggage car.
- a covered, boxlike railway car, as one used to carry freight.
- a small, horse-drawn wagon or a small truck, as one used by tradespeople to carry light goods.
Also called van conversion. a conventional van whose cargo area has been equipped with living facilities, extra windows, and often increased headroom.
verb (used with object), vanned, van·ning.
to transport or carry (freight, passengers, etc.) in a van.
verb (used without object), vanned, van·ning.
to travel in a van.
Origin of van
2First recorded in 1820–30; short for caravan
Definition for van (3 of 5)
van3
[ van; Dutch vahn ]
/ væn; Dutch vɑn /
preposition (often initial capital letter)
from; of (used in Dutch personal names, originally to indicate place of origin).
Origin of van
3From Dutch
Definition for van (4 of 5)
van4
[ van ]
/ væn /
noun
a wing.
Origin of van
41400–50;late Middle English, variant of fan1
Definition for van (5 of 5)
Van
[ van; for 1, 2 also Turkish vahn ]
/ væn; for 1, 2 also Turkish vɑn /
noun
Lake, a salt lake in E Turkey. 1454 sq. mi. (3766 sq. km).
a town on this lake.
a male given name.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for van
British Dictionary definitions for van (1 of 5)
van1
/ (væn) /
noun
short for caravan (def. 1)
a covered motor vehicle for transporting goods, etc, by road
British a closed railway wagon in which the guard travels, for transporting goods, mail, etc
British See delivery van
British Dictionary definitions for van (2 of 5)
British Dictionary definitions for van (3 of 5)
British Dictionary definitions for van (4 of 5)
Word Origin for van
C17: variant of fan 1
British Dictionary definitions for van (5 of 5)
Van
/ (vɑːn) /
noun
a city in E Turkey, on Lake Van. Pop: 377 000 (2005 est)
Lake Van a salt lake in E Turkey, at an altitude of 1650 m (5400 ft): fed by melting snow and glaciers. Area: 3737 sq km (1433 sq miles)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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