fan

fan 1  (fn) n. 1. A device for creating a current of air or a breeze, especially: a. A machine using an electric motor to rotate thin, rigid vanes in order to move air, as for cooling. b. A collapsible, usually wedge-shaped device made of a light material such as silk, paper, or plastic. 2. A machine for winnowing. 3. Something resembling an open fan in shape: a peacock's fan. v. fanned, fan·ning, fans v.tr. 1. To move or cause a current of (air) with or as if with a fan. 2. To direct a current of air or a breeze upon, especially in order to cool: fan one's face. 3. To stir (something) up by or as if by fanning: fanned the flames in the fireplace; a troublemaker who fanned resentment among the staff. 4. To open (something) out into the shape of a fan: The bird fanned its colorful tail. 5. a. To fire (an automatic gun) in a continuous sweep by keeping one's finger on the trigger. b. To fire (a nonautomatic gun) rapidly by chopping the hammer with the palm. 6. To winnow. 7. Baseball To strike out (a batter). v.intr. 1. To spread out like a fan: The troops fanned out from the beachhead. 2. Baseball To strike out. [Middle English, winnowing fan, from Old English fann, from Latin vannus; see wet-1 in Indo-European roots.]

fan1 top: electric fan bottom: hand-held fan

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fan ¹

Noun

1. any device for creating a current of air, esp. a rotating machine of blades attached to a central hub

2. a hand-held object, usually made of paper, which creates a draught of cool air when waved

3. something shaped like such a fan, such as the tail of certain birds

Verb

[fanning, fanned]

1. to create a draught of air in the direction of someone or something

2. fan out to spread out in the shape of a fan: the troops fanned out along the beach [Latin vannus]

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fan ²

Noun

a person who admires or is enthusiastic about a pop star, actor, sport, or hobby: he was a big fan of Woody Allen [from fanatic]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	fan - a device for creating a current of air by movement of a surface or surfaces cooling system, engine cooling system - equipment in a motor vehicle that cools the engine device - an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose; "the device is small enough to wear on your wrist"; "a device intended to conserve water" electric fan, blower - a fan run by an electric motor exhaust fan - a fan that moves air out of an enclosure punkah - a large fan consisting of a frame covered with canvas that is suspended from the ceiling; used in India for circulating air in a room
	2.	fan - an enthusiastic devotee of sports rooter, sports fan aficionado - a fan of bull fighting enthusiast, partizan, partisan - an ardent and enthusiastic supporter of some person or activity railbird - a fan of racing who watches races from the outer rail of the track
	3.	fan - an ardent follower and admirer buff, devotee, lover followers, following - a group of followers or enthusiasts aerophile - a lover of aviation aficionado - a serious devotee of some particular music genre or musical performer amorist - one dedicated to love and lovemaking especially one who writes about love bacchanal, bacchant - a drunken reveller; a devotee of Bacchus follower - a person who accepts the leadership of another groupie - an enthusiastic young fan (especially a young woman who follows rock groups around) metalhead - a fan of heavy metal music
Verb	1.	fan - strike out (a batter), (of a pitcher) baseball, baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school"; "there was a baseball game on every empty lot"; "there was a desire for National League ball in the area"; "play ball!" strike out - put out or be put out by a strikeout; "Oral struck out three batters to close the inning"
	2.	fan - make (an emotion) fiercer; "fan hatred" compound, deepen, intensify, heighten - make more intense, stronger, or more marked; "The efforts were intensified", "Her rudeness intensified his dislike for her"; "Pot smokers claim it heightens their awareness"; "This event only deepened my convictions"
	3.	fan - agitate the air winnow - blow on; "The wind was winnowing her hair"; "the wind winnowed the grass" shake, agitate - move or cause to move back and forth; "The chemist shook the flask vigorously"; "My hands were shaking"
	4.	fan - separate the chaff from by using air currents; "She stood there winnowing chaff all day in the field" winnow sift, sieve, strain - separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements; "sift the flour"

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fan ¹

noun 1. blower, ventilator, air conditioner, vane, punkah in India blade, propeller

verb 2. blow, cool, refresh, air-condition, ventilate, air-cool, winnow (rare)

verb 3. stimulate, increase, excite, provoke, arouse, rouse, stir up, work up, agitate, whip up, add fuel to the flames, impassion, enkindle

4. (often with out) spread out, spread, lay out, disperse, unfurl, open out, space out

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fan ²

noun 1. supporter, lover, follower, enthusiast, admirer, groupie (slang) rooter U.S.

2. devotee, addict, freak (informal) buff (informal) fiend (informal) adherent, zealot, aficionado

Translations

fan [fæn] n → abanico;

(ELEC) → ventilador m;

(person) → aficionado/a;

(SPORT) → hincha m/f [of pop star] → fan m/f

vt → abanicar [+ fire, quarrel]; atizar

fan out vi → desplegarse

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fan [fæn] n (folding) → éventail m;

(Elec) → ventilateur m (= person); fan m, admirateur/trice;

(Sport) → supporter m/f

vt → éventer [+ fire, quarrel]; attiser

fan out vi → se déployer (en éventail)

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fan [fæn] n (person) → Fan m;

(object) (folding) → Fächer m: (Elec) → Ventilator m

vt → fächeln;

(fire) → anfachen;

(quarrel) → schüren

fan out fan vi → ausschwärmen;

(unfurl) → sich fächerförmig ausbreiten

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fan [fæn] n (folding) → ventaglio;

(machine) → ventilatore m;

(person) → ammiratore/trice;

(SPORT) → tifoso/a

vt → far vento a [+ fire, quarrel]; alimentare

fan out vi → spargersi (a ventaglio)