Meaning

• 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.

• A section of a tree having a finite number of branches

Meaning

• To blow air on (something) by means of a fan (hand-held, mechanical or electrical) or otherwise.

  "We enjoyed standing at the edge of the cliff, being fanned by the wind."

• To slap (a behind, especially).

• (usually to fan out) To move or spread in multiple directions from one point, in the shape of a hand-held fan.

• To dispel by waving a hand-held fan.

  "I attempted to fan the disagreeable odour out of the room."

• To perform a maneuver that involves flicking the top rear of an old-style gun.

• (metaphoric) To invigorate, like flames when fanned.

• To winnow grain.