fan

UK: /ˈfæn/ US: /fæn/ ,'fan': (fan); 'Fan': (fan, fän)

Inflections of 'fan' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

fans

v 3rd person singular

fanning

v pres p

fanned

v past

fanned

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

fan¹ /fæn/   n., v., fanned, fan•ning. 
n. [countable]

1. a device for producing a current of air by the revolving movement of one or more blades:
   an electric fan.
2. a flat object of plastic, paper, wood, etc., often in the shape of a triangle or a semicircle, for waving lightly in the hand to create a cooling current of air about the body:
   a beautiful Chinese fan.

v. 

3. [~ + object] to move or stir up (the air) with or as if with a fan.
4. to cause air to blow upon, such as from a fan:
   [~ + object] When she fainted we fanned her face.
5. to stir to activity;
   incite:
   [~ + object] The story fanned the emotions of the voters.
6. to spread out like a fan: [no object]
   The soldiers fanned out around the enemy.
   [~ + object]
   The magician fanned the cards expertly.

fan² /fæn/   n. [countable]

1. an enthusiastic follower or admirer of a team, sport, celebrity, etc.;
   enthusiast:
   hockey fans.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

fan¹  (fan), n., v., fanned, fan•ning. 
n. 

1. any device for producing a current of air by the movement of a broad surface or a number of such surfaces.
2. an implement of feathers, leaves, paper, cloth, etc., often in the shape of a long triangle or of a semicircle, for waving lightly in the hand to create a cooling current of air about a person:
   We sat on the veranda, cooling ourselves with palm-leaf fans.
3. Zoology anything resembling such an implement, as the tail of a bird.
4. any of various devices consisting essentially of a series of radiating vanes or blades attached to and revolving with a central hublike portion to produce a current of air:
   ceiling fan; wall fan.
5. a series of revolving blades supplying air for winnowing or cleaning grain.
6. Time [Horol.] fly¹ (def. 34).
7. Heraldry a semicircular decoration of bunting.
8. Geography [Physical Geog.] an alluvial fan.
9. Idioms hit the fan, [Slang.] to become suddenly more awkward, embarrassing, or troublesome:
   When news of the incident was leaked to the press, everything hit the fan at once.

v.t. 

10. to move or agitate (the air) with or as if with a fan.
11. to cause air to blow upon, as from a fan;
    cool or refresh with or as if with a fan:
    He fanned his face with a newspaper.
12. to stir to activity with or as if with a fan:
    to fan a flame; to fan emotions.
13. (of a breeze, current of air, etc.) to blow upon, as if driven by a fan:
    A cool breeze fanned the shore.
14. to spread out like a fan:
    The dealer fanned the cards.
15. Informal Terms to move (oneself ) quickly:
    You'll fan your tail out of here if you know what's good for you.
16. Agriculture to winnow, esp. by an artificial current of air.
17. Sport [Baseball.] (of a pitcher) to strike out (a batter).
18. Dialect Terms [Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.] to punish by spanking;
    spank:
    Your mother will fan you good if you break that dish.

v.i. 

19. to strike, swing, or brush lightly at something.
20. Dialect Terms [Western U.S.] (chiefly cowboy use). to slap the flanks of (a horse or other animal) repeatedly with a hat to get it to move or move faster.
21. to spread out like a fan (often fol. by out):
    The forest fire fanned out in all directions.
22. Sport [Baseball.] (of a batter) to strike out, usually by swinging at and missing the pitch charged as the third strike.

• Latin vannus winnowing basket
• Middle English, Old English fann bef. 900

fan′like′, adj. 
fan′ner, n. 

fan²  (fan), n. 

1. an enthusiastic devotee, follower, or admirer of a sport, pastime, celebrity, etc.:
   a baseball fan; a great fan of Charlie Chaplin.

• short for fanatic 1885–90, American.

Synonyms

supporter, enthusiast, partisan, booster, addict.

Fan  (fan, fän), n., pl. Fans, (esp. collectively) Fan. 

1. Anthropology, Language Varieties Fang.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

fan / fæn/ noun

1. any device for creating a current of air by movement of a surface or number of surfaces, esp a rotating device consisting of a number of blades attached to a central hub
2. any of various hand-agitated devices for cooling oneself, esp a collapsible semicircular series of flat segments of paper, ivory, etc
3. something shaped like such a fan, such as the tail of certain birds
4. a kind of basket formerly used for winnowing grain

verb (fans, fanning, fanned)(mainly tr)

1. to cause a current of air, esp cool air, to blow upon, as by means of a fan: to fan one's face
2. to agitate or move (air, smoke, etc) with or as if with a fan
3. to make fiercer, more ardent, etc: fan one's passion
4. (also intr) often followed by out: to spread out or cause to spread out in the shape of a fan
5. to winnow (grain) by blowing the chaff away from it

Etymology: Old English fann, from Latin vannus

ˈfanlike adjective

ˈfanner noun

fan / fæn/ noun

1. an ardent admirer of a pop star, film actor, football team, etc
2. a devotee of a sport, hobby, etc

Etymology: 17th Century, re-formed C19: from fan( atic)