1an apparatus with rotating blades that creates a current of air for cooling or ventilation:a couple of ceiling fans, lazily turningthe kitchen may need to be fitted with an extractor fan
a small sail for keeping the head of a windmill towards the wind.
2a handheld device, typically folding and shaped like a segment of a circle when spread out, that is waved so as to cool the person holding it:the girls were giggling behind their fans
a thing resembling an open fan: [as modifier]:fan vaulting
a fan-shaped alluvial or talus deposit at the foot of a slope:there are great waste fans at the foot of the Andes in the desert
ზმნა
Universal
1 [with object] cool (someone or something) by waving an object to create a current of air:he fanned himself with his hat
(of breath or a breeze) blow gently on:his breath fanned her skin as he leant towards her
[with object and adverbial of direction] brush or drive away with a waving movement:a veil of smoke which she fanned away with a jewelled hand
[no object] Baseball & Ice Hockey swing unsuccessfully at the ball or puck:he had fanned 37 times in 83 at-bats
Baseball strike out (a batter):Norris fanned nine batters with his screwball
2 [with object] increase the strength of (a fire) by blowing on it or stirring up the air near it:fanned by an easterly wind, the fire spread rapidly
cause (a belief or emotion) to become stronger or more widespread:a fury fanned by press coverage
3 [no object] (fan out) disperse or radiate from a central point to cover a wide area:the arriving passengers began to fan out through the town in search of lodgings
spread out or cause to spread out into a semicircular shape: [no object]:a dress made of tiny pleats that fanned out as she walked [with object]:a wind fanned her hair out behind her
fan the flames (of something)
cause an emotion such as anger or hatred to become stronger:instead of being a calming force you fanned the flames of hostility
