van

Definitions

1. 1.A light wagon, either covered or open, used by tradesmen and others fore the transportation of goods. [Eng.]
2. 2.A large covered wagon for moving furniture, etc., also for conveying wild beasts, etc., for exhibition.
3. 3.A close railway car for baggage. See the Note under Car, 2. [Eng.]
4. 4.A fan or other contrivance, as a sieve, for winnowing grain.
5. 5.Etym: [OF. vanne, F. vanneau beam feather (cf. It. vanno a wing) fr. L. vannus. See Etymology above.] A wing with which the air is beaten. [Archaic] "[/Angels] on the air plumy vans received him. " Milton. He wheeled in air, and stretched his vans in vain; His vans no longer could his flight sustain. Dryden.
6. 6.To fan, or to cleanse by fanning; to winnow. [Obs.] Bacon.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "van" mean?
• What is another word for "van"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is van.

• What is a light wagon, either covered or open, used by tradesmen and others fore the transportation of goods. [Eng.] called?
• What is a large covered wagon for moving furniture, etc., also for conveying wild beasts, etc., for exhibition called?
• What is a close railway car for baggage. See the Note under Car, 2. [Eng.] called?
• What is a fan or other contrivance, as a sieve, for winnowing grain called?
• What is to fan, or to cleanse by fanning; to winnow. [Obs.] Bacon called?