vane (v n)n.1. A weathervane. 2. Any of several usually relatively thin, rigid, flat, or sometimes curved surfaces radially mounted along an axis, as a blade in a turbine or a sail on a windmill, that is turned by or used to turn a fluid. 3. The flattened, weblike part of a feather, consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaft. 4. a. The movable target on a leveling rod. b. A sight on a quadrant or compass. 5. One of the metal guidance or stabilizing fins attached to the tail of a bomb or other missile.
[Middle English fane, vane, from Old English fana, flag; see pan- in Indo-European roots.] |
vane Noun
1. one of the blades forming part of the wheel of a windmill, a screw propeller, etc.
vane (v n) The flattened, weblike part of a feather, consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the rachis. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | vane - mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the windmechanical device - mechanism consisting of a device that works on mechanical principles weathercock - weathervane with a vane in the form of a rooster wind tee - weather vane shaped like a T and located at an airfield |
| 2. | vane - a fin attached to the tail of an arrow, bomb or missile in order to stabilize or guide itarrow - a projectile with a straight thin shaft and an arrowhead on one end and stabilizing vanes on the other; intended to be shot from a bow fin - a stabilizer on a ship that resembles the fin of a fish missile - a rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosives; may be ballistic or directed by remote control |
| 3. | vane - flat surface that rotates and pushes against air or waterimpeller - the blade of a rotor (as in the compressor of a jet engine) oar - an implement used to propel or steer a boat paddle - a blade of a paddle wheel or water wheel turbine - rotary engine in which the kinetic energy of a moving fluid is converted into mechanical energy by causing a bladed rotor to rotate |
| 4. | vane - the flattened weblike part of a feather consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaftfeather, plumage, plume - the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds barb - one of the parallel filaments projecting from the main shaft of a feather blade - a broad flat body part (as of the shoulder or tongue) |