What is "fan"

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:

   1. 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.

   2. (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.

   3. An instrument for winnowing grain, by moving which the grain is tossed and agitated, and the chaff is separated and blown away.

   4. Something in the form of a fan when spread, as a peacock's tail, a window, etc.

   5. A small vane or sail, used to keep the large sails of a smock windmill always in the direction of the wind.

      Clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.
      --Is. xxx. 24.

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.

3. A quintain; -- from its form. [Obs.]
   --Chaucer.

   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 (Zo["o]l.), 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 (Zo["o]l.), 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.

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.

   The air . . . fanned with unnumbered plumes.
   --Milton.

2. To cool and refresh, by moving the air with a fan; to blow the air on the face of with a fan.

3. To ventilate; to blow on; to affect by air put in motion.

   Calm as the breath which fans our eastern groves.
   --Dryden.

4. To winnow; to separate chaff from, and drive it away by a current of air; as, to fan wheat.
   --Jer. li. 2.

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.

   Fanning machine, or Fanning mill, a machine for separating seed from chaff, etc., by a blast of air; a fanner.

device to make an air current, Old English fann (West Saxon) "a basket or shovel for winnowing grain" (by tossing it in the air), from Latin vannus, perhaps related to ventus "wind" (see wind (n.1)), or from PIE root *wet- (1) "to blow" (also "to inspire, spiritually arouse;" see wood (adj.)).\n

\nThe chaff, being lighter, would blow off. Sense of "device for moving air" first recorded late 14c.; the hand-held version is first attested 1550s. A fan-light (1819) was shaped like a lady's fan. The automobile's fan-belt is from 1909. Fan-dance is from 1872 in a Japanese context; by 1937 as a type of burlesque performance.

"devotee," 1889, American English, originally of baseball enthusiasts, probably a shortening of fanatic, but it may be influenced by the fancy, a collective term for followers of a certain hobby or sport (especially boxing); see fancy (n.). There is an isolated use from 1682, but the modern word likely is a late 19c. formation. Fan mail attested from 1920, in a Hollywood context; Fan club attested by 1930.\n\nBefore the close of the republic, an enthusiastic partisan of one of the factions in the chariot races flung himself upon the pile on which the body of a favourite coachman was consumed, and perished in the flames.

[Lecky, "European Morals"]

late Old English fannian "to winnow (grain)," from the noun (see fan (n.1)). Meaning "to stir up air" is from early 15c. Baseball sense of "strike out (a batter)" is by 1909. Related: Fanned; fanning. To fan out "spread out like a hand-held fan," is from 1590s.

Etymology 1 n. 1 A hand-held device consisting of concertinaed material, or slats of material, gathered together at one end, that may be opened out into the shape of a sector of a circle and waved back and forth in order to move air towards oneself and cool oneself. 2 An electrical device for moving air, used for cooling people, machinery, etc. 3 Anything resembling a hand-held fan in shape, e.g., a peacock’s tail. 4 An instrument for winnowing grain, by moving which the grain is tossed and agitated, and the chaff is separated and blown away. 5 A small vane or sail, used to keep the large sails of a smock windmill always in the direction of the wind. vb. 1 (context transitive English) To blow air on (something) by means of a fan (hand-held, mechanical or electrical) or otherwise. 2 (context transitive English) To slap (a behind, especially). 3 (context intransitive usually '''to fan out''' English) To move or spread in multiple directions from one point, in the shape of a hand-held fan. Etymology 2

n. An admirer or aficionado, especially of a sport or performer; someone who is fond of something or someone; an admirer.

1. n. a device for creating a current of air by movement of a surface or surfaces

2. an enthusiastic devotee of sports [syn: sports fan]

3. an ardent follower and admirer [syn: buff, devotee, lover]

4. [also: fanning, fanned]

1. v. strike out (a batter), (of a pitcher)

2. make (an emotion) fiercer; "fan hatred"

3. agitate the air

4. separate from chaff; "She stood there winnowing grain all day in the field" [syn: winnow]

5. [also: fanning, fanned]

A fan, or fanatic, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person who is enthusiastically devoted to something or somebody, such as a band, a sports team, a genre, a book, a movie or an entertainer. Collectively, the fans of a particular object or person constitute its fanbase or fandom. They may show their enthusiasm in a variety of ways, such as by promoting the object of their interest, being members of a fan club, holding or participating in fan conventions, or writing fan mail. They may also engage in creative activities (" fan labor") such as creating fanzines, writing fan fiction, making memes or drawing fan art.

Fan is a transliteration for some Chinese family names, of which the most common ones are 范 and 樊 .

"Fan" is a 2003 song recorded by French singer and composer Pascal Obispo. Written by Lionel Florence who had previously worked for many notable artists, the song is a tribute to great artists, particularly Michel Polnareff. Released on March 14, 2003, as the lead single of the album of the same name, "Fan" achieved great success in France and Belgium (Wallonia), becoming to date Obispo's first number-one hit and his most successful single in terms of chart peak positions. The song was also performed during the singer's next tours and was thus included on the albums Studio Fan / Live Fan (2004) and Les Fleurs de Forest (2007).

The CD single was released in many editions with various art cover showing Obispo portraying many artists such as Robert De Niro, Freddie Mercury and Marilyn Monroe. In France, the single went straight to number-one on 1 June 2003, and almost didn't stop to drop the weeks after, totalling eight weeks in the top ten, 18 weeks in the top 50 and 27 weeks in the top 100. As of August 2014, it was the 108th best-selling single of the 21st century in France, with 292,000 units sold.

The Fan is a river in northern Albania. It is formed by the confluence of two source rivers: the Great Fan and the Little Fan , that join a few km west of the town Rrëshen.

The Great Fan rises near the village Kryezi, Qafë-Mali municipal unit, in the Shkodër County. It flows generally southwest through Fushë-Arrëz and Gjegjan. The Little Fan rises near the village Thirrë, in the municipal unit Fan, Mirditë municipality, Lezhë County. It flows southwest through Reps ( Orosh) and just north of Rrëshen. West of Rrëshen the two source rivers unite and the Fan continues west to Rubik, and then south until its outflow into the river Mat, east of Milot.

Fan or fans may refer to:

Fan is a 2016 Indian thriller film directed by Maneesh Sharma and featuring Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role. The film is produced by Aditya Chopra under the banner of Yash Raj Films, and tells the story of an obsessive fan of a star who looks just like the star. The soundtrack album and original score are composed by Vishal–Shekhar and Andrea Guerra respectively. The film was released on 15 April 2016. Made on a budget of 850 million, the film collected 792.5 million in India and 613.5 million from overseas territories.