Vane

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Vane \Vane\ (v[=a]n), n. [OE. & 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.
     ph^nos a web, phni`on a bobbin, spool. Cf. {Fanon}, {Pane} a
     compartment, panel.]


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     [1913 Webster]
     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.
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              Aye undiscreet, and changing as a vane. --Chaucer.
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     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.
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     3. (Zool.) The rhachis and web of a feather taken together.
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     4. One of the sights of a compass, quadrant, etc.
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     {Vane of a leveling staff}. (Surv.) Same as {Target}, 3.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  vane
       n 1: 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}]