What is "vane"

Vane \Vane\ (v[=a]n), n. [OE. & E. Prov. E. fane weathercock, banner, AS. fana a banner, flag; akin to D. vaan, G. fahne, OHG. fano cloth, gund fano flag, Icel. f[=a]ni, Sw. fana, Dan. fane, Goth. fana cloth, L. pannus, and perhaps to Gr. ? a web, ? a bobbin, spool. Cf. Fanon, Pane a compartment, panel.]

1. A contrivance attached to some elevated object for the purpose of showing which way the wind blows; a weathercock. It is usually a plate or strip of metal, or slip of wood, often cut into some fanciful form, and placed upon a perpendicular axis around which it moves freely.

   Aye undiscreet, and changing as a vane.
   --Chaucer.

2. Any flat, extended surface attached to an axis and moved by the wind; as, the vane of a windmill; hence, a similar fixture of any form moved in or by water, air, or other fluid; as, the vane of a screw propeller, a fan blower, an anemometer, etc.

3. (Zo["o]l.) The rhachis and web of a feather taken together.

4. One of the sights of a compass, quadrant, etc.

   Vane of a leveling staff. (Surv.) Same as Target, 3.

"plate metal wind indicator," early 15c., southern England alteration (see V) of fane "flag, banner."

n. 1 (context countable English) A weather vane. 2 Any of several usually relatively thin, rigid, flat, or sometimes curved surfaces radially mounted along an axis, as a blade in a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/turbine or a sail on a windmill, that is turned by or used to turn a fluid. 3 (context ornithology English) The flattened, web-like part of a feather, consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaft. 4 A sight on a sextant or compass. 5 One of the metal guidance or stabilizing fins attached to the tail of a bomb or other missile.

1. n. flat surface that rotates and pushes against air or water [syn: blade]

2. mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind [syn: weathervane, weather vane, wind vane]

3. a metal fin attached to the tail of a bomb or missile in order to stabilize or guide it

4. the flattened weblike part of a feather consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaft [syn: web]

Vanë (also known as Cifliku Vana, Van, Vana, or Vanje) is a settlement in the Vlorë County of Albania. It is part of the municipality Delvinë.

Vane is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

• Charles Vane (c.1680–1721), English pirate who preyed upon English and French shipping. His pirate career lasted from 1716–1719
• Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry (1852–1915), British Conservative politician
• Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry (1878–1949), Secretary of State for Air in the 1930s, in favour of the appeasement policy towards Nazi German
• Christopher Vane, 1st Baron Barnard (1653–1723), English peer known for his treatment of his heirs, and his employment as steward of Peter Smart; father of the poet Christopher Smart
• Edith Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry (1878–1959), a noted socialite and philanthropist in the United Kingdom between World War I and World War II
• Sir Francis Vane, Baronet, (1861–1934), early aide of Lord Baden-Powell's and a Scout Commissioner of London before Baden-Powell ousted him from the Scout Association; founder of the Order of World Scouts, the earliest multinational Scouting movement
• George Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry (1821–1884), Anglo-Irish aristocrat, businessman and Conservative politician
• Harry Vane, 11th Baron Barnard (born September 21, 1923), British peer, the son of Christopher Vane, 10th Baron Barnard
• Henry Vane:
  • Sir Henry Vane the Elder (1589–1655), English courtier, father of Henry Vane the Younger
  • Sir Henry Vane the Younger (1613–1662), statesman, Puritan, son of Henry Vane the Elder
  • Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington (c. 1705–1758) (c. 1705 – 6 March 1758), an English peer, the son of Gilbert Vane, 2nd Baron Barnard
  • Henry Vane, 2nd Earl of Darlington (1726–1792), English peer, the son of the 1st Earl
• John Robert Vane (1927–2004), English pharmacologist, born in Tardebigg, Worcestershire
• Mark Sutton Vane, English architectural lighting designer
• Richard Fletcher-Vane, 2nd Baron Inglewood (b. 1951), Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Cumbria and Lancashire North from 1989 to 1994, and for North West England from 1999 to 2004
• Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 8th Marquess of Londonderry (1902–1955), Irish peer and politician
• William Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland (1766–1842), British peer
• William Fletcher-Vane, 1st Baron Inglewood (1909–1989), British politician
• Zachary A. Vane, American politician

Vane is the only studio album by Bleak, an offshoot of the band Lycia, released in 1995 by Projekt Records.

Vane (first name and dates unknown) was an English first-class cricketer associated with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) who was active in the 1800s. He is recorded in one match, totalling 8 runs with a highest score of 8.