from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Wean \Wean\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Weaned}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Weaning}.] [OE. wenen, AS. wenian, wennan, to accustom; akin
to D. wennen, G. gew["o]hnen, OHG. giwennan, Icel. venja, Sw.
v[aum]nja, Dan. v[ae]nne, Icel. vanr accustomed, wont; cf.
AS. [=a]wenian to wean, G. entw["o]hnen. See {Wont}, a.]
[1913 Webster]
1. To accustom and reconcile, as a child or other young
animal, to a want or deprivation of mother's milk; to take
from the breast or udder; to cause to cease to depend on
the mother nourishment.
[1913 Webster]
And the child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made
a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
--Gen. xxi. 8.
[1913 Webster]
2. Hence, to detach or alienate the affections of, from any
object of desire; to reconcile to the want or loss of
anything. "Wean them from themselves." --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
The troubles of age were intended . . . to wean us
gradually from our fondness of life. --Swift.
[1913 Webster]