fan

fan
    n 1: a device for creating a current of air by movement of a
         surface or surfaces
    2: an enthusiastic devotee of sports [syn: {sports fan}, {fan},
       {rooter}]
    3: an ardent follower and admirer [syn: {fan}, {buff},
       {devotee}, {lover}]
    v 1: strike out (a batter), (of a pitcher)
    2: make (an emotion) fiercer; "fan hatred"
    3: agitate the air
    4: separate the chaff from by using air currents; "She stood
       there winnowing chaff all day in the field" [syn: {winnow},
       {fan}]
    

Fan \Fan\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Fanned}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Fanning}.] [Cf. OF. vanner, L. vannere. See {Fan}, n., {Van}
   a winnowing machine.]
   1. To move as with a fan.
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            The air . . . fanned with unnumbered plumes.
                                                  --Milton.
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   2. To cool and refresh, by moving the air with a fan; to blow
      the air on the face of with a fan.
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   3. To ventilate; to blow on; to affect by air put in motion.
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            Calm as the breath which fans our eastern groves.
                                                  --Dryden.
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   4. To winnow; to separate chaff from, and drive it away by a
      current of air; as, to fan wheat. --Jer. li. 2.
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   5. To excite or stir up to activity, as a fan excites a
      flame; to stimulate; as, this conduct fanned the
      excitement of the populace.
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   {Fanning machine}, or {Fanning mill}, a machine for
      separating seed from chaff, etc., by a blast of air; a
      fanner.
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Fan \Fan\ (f[a^]n), n. [AS. fann, fr. L. vannus fan, van for
   winnowing grain; cf. F. van. Cf. {Van} a winnowing machine,
   {Winnow}.]
   1. An instrument used for producing artificial currents of
      air, by the wafting or revolving motion of a broad
      surface; as:
      (a) An instrument for cooling the person, made of
          feathers, paper, silk, etc., and often mounted on
          sticks all turning about the same pivot, so as when
          opened to radiate from the center and assume the
          figure of a section of a circle.
      (b) (Mach.) Any revolving vane or vanes used for producing
          currents of air, in winnowing grain, blowing a fire,
          ventilation, etc., or for checking rapid motion by the
          resistance of the air; a fan blower; a fan wheel.
      (c) An instrument for winnowing grain, by moving which the
          grain is tossed and agitated, and the chaff is
          separated and blown away.
      (d) Something in the form of a fan when spread, as a
          peacock's tail, a window, etc.
      (e) A small vane or sail, used to keep the large sails of
          a smock windmill always in the direction of the wind.
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                Clean provender, which hath been winnowed with
                the shovel and with the fan.      --Is. xxx. 24.
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   2. That which produces effects analogous to those of a fan,
      as in exciting a flame, etc.; that which inflames,
      heightens, or strengthens; as, it served as a fan to the
      flame of his passion.
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   3. A quintain; -- from its form. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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   {Fan blower}, a wheel with vanes fixed on a rotating shaft
      inclosed in a case or chamber, to create a blast of air
      (fan blast) for forge purposes, or a current for draft and
      ventilation; a fanner.

   {Fan cricket} (Zool.), a mole cricket.

   {Fan light} (Arch.), a window over a door; -- so called from
      the semicircular form and radiating sash bars of those
      windows which are set in the circular heads of arched
      doorways.

   {Fan shell} (Zool.), any shell of the family {Pectinid[ae]}.
      See {Scallop}, n., 1.

   {Fan tracery} (Arch.), the decorative tracery on the surface
      of fan vaulting.

   {Fan vaulting} (Arch.), an elaborate system of vaulting, in
      which the ribs diverge somewhat like the rays of a fan, as
      in Henry VII.'s chapel in Westminster Abbey. It is
      peculiar to English Gothic.

   {Fan wheel}, the wheel of a fan blower.

   {Fan window}. Same as {Fan light} (above).

   {electric fan}. a fan having revolving blades for propelling
      air, powered by an electric motor.
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fan
 n.

   Without qualification, indicates a fan of science fiction, especially
   one who goes to {con}s and tends to hang out with other fans. Many
   hackers are fans, so this term has been imported from fannish slang;
   however, unlike much fannish slang it is recognized by most
   non-fannish hackers. Among SF fans the plural is correctly fen, but
   this usage is not automatic to hackers. "Laura reads the stuff
   occasionally but isn't really a fan."
    

Fan
a winnowing shovel by which grain was thrown up against the wind
that it might be cleansed from broken straw and chaff (Isa.
30:24; Jer. 15:7; Matt. 3:12). (See {AGRICULTURE}.)
    

303 Moby Thesaurus words for "fan":
      Maecenas, V, abettor, adherent, admirer, advocate, aerate, aerator,
      aficionado, agitate, air, air conditioner, air cooler, air filter,
      air out, air passage, air-condition, air-cool, airify, airscrew,
      amateur, angel, annoy, apologist, appendage, applauder,
      appreciator, arouse, attendant, attender, audience, authority,
      awake, awaken, backer, blow the coals, blow up, blower, bomb,
      booster, branch, branch out, buff, bug, call forth, call up,
      cavaliere servente, champion, chiller, claqueur, cold pack,
      collector, commender, connoisseur, cooler, cooling system,
      courtier, crank, crap out, critic, cross-ventilate, crotch, crutch,
      dangler, defender, delta, dependence, dependent, deploy, devotee,
      dilettante, disciple, disperse, draw a blank, driver, drop a bomb,
      drop the ball, electric fan, encomiast, encourager, endorser,
      energumen, enkindle, enrage, enthusiast, eulogist, eulogizer,
      excite, exhaust fan, expand, expert, exponent, extend, extoller,
      fan out, fan the fire, fan the flame, fanatic, fanatico, fancier,
      favorer, feed the fire, ferment, fire, flabellum, flame, flare,
      flop, flummox, flunky, fold, fold up, follower, following, foment,
      fork, freak, frenzy, frequenter, freshen, friend at court, frisk,
      furcula, furculum, get left, groin, groupie, habitue, hanger-on,
      haunter, heat, heat up, henchman, homme de cour, hound, ice bag,
      ice bucket, ice cube, ice pack, ice pail, idolater, idolizer,
      impassion, impeller, incense, incite, infatuate, inflame,
      infuriate, inguen, instigate, key up, kindle, lather up, lauder,
      lay an egg, light the fuse, light up, lose out, lover,
      lunatic fringe, madden, mainstay, maintainer, monomaniac, move,
      nettle, not hack it, not make it, nut, offshoot, open, open up,
      outspread, outstretch, overexcite, overgrow, overrun, oxygenate,
      oxygenize, paddle wheel, panegyrist, paranymph, parasite, partisan,
      patron, pique, piston, plugger, praiser, promoter, prong, prop,
      propellant, propeller, propulsor, protagonist, provoke, public,
      puffer, pundit, punkah, pursuer, pursuivant, put up to, rally,
      ramification, ramify, refresh, reliance, rooter, rotor, rouse,
      ruffle, satellite, savant, scholar, screw, screw propeller, second,
      seconder, sectary, set astir, set fire to, set on, set on fire,
      shadow, shake down, sic on, sider, specialist, spectator, splay,
      sponsor, spraddle, sprangle, sprawl, spread, spread like wildfire,
      spread out, stalwart, standby, steam up, stem, stir,
      stir the blood, stir the embers, stir the feelings, stir up,
      stooge, strike out, successor, summon up, support, supporter,
      surface cooler, sustainer, sympathizer, tagtail, tail,
      take the count, technical expert, technician, theatergoer,
      thermantidote, tickle, tout, touter, trainbearer, trident, turbine,
      turn on, twin screws, unfold, upholder, ventilate, ventilator,
      visitor, votary, wake, wake up, waken, ward heeler, warm,
      warm the blood, water cooler, well-wisher, wheel, whet, whiff,
      whip up, widen, wind, windcatcher, windsail, windscoop,
      wine cooler, winnow, wishbone, work into, work up, worshiper,
      zealot