fan

Definitions

• 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.
• An electrical or mechanical device for moving air, used for cooling people, machinery, etc.
• The action of fanning; agitation of the air.
• Anything resembling a hand-held fan in shape, e.g., a peacock’s tail.
• An instrument for winnowing grain, by moving which the grain is tossed and agitated, and the chaff is separated and blown away.
• A small vane or sail, used to keep the large sails of a smock mill always in the direction of the wind.
• (maths) A section of a tree having a finite number of branches