fan 
(6) Any contrivance of vanes or Hat disks, revolved by ma- 
chinery or by hand, as for winnowing grain, cooling fluids, 
urging combustion, promotim; vriitilation, etc. 
Clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the 
shovel and with thv jun. Isa. xxx. 24. 
(c) A. small vane or sail used to keep the large sails of a 
windmill always in the direction of the wind, (d) An ap- 
paratus for regulating or cheeking, by the resistance of the 
air to its rapid motion, the velocity of light machinery, 
as in a musical box ; a fly. 
An important modification on his original mechanism 
is now generally made, by a long arm of iron, called A fan, 
extending horizontally in front of the vertical draw-rods, 
where by suitable mechanism it is made to wave up and 
down. Oruve, Mus. Diet,, II. 598. 
(e) An apparatus, also called the fan-governor, for regu- 
lating the throttle-valve of a steam-engine. (/) In soap- 
tii"nuf., a rotating paddle, so set that its blades skim close- 
ly over the surface of the boiling mass in the soap-copper. 
It serves to prevent the contents of the copper from boil- 
ing over. 
2. Something resembling a fan when spread, 
as the wing of a bird, the tail of a peacocK, etc. 
AB a peacock and crane were in company, the peacock 
spread his tail, and challenged the other to show him such 
a/an of feathers. Sir R. L'Entrange. 
3. In geol., an accumulation of debris brought 
down by a stream descending through a steep 
ravine and debouching in the plain beneath, 
where the detrital material spreads itself out in 
the shape of a fan, forming a section of a very 
low cone. 
The fan is properly a flat cone, having the apex at the 
mouth of the ravine. 
F. Drew, Proc. Geol. Soc. London, XXIX. 447. 
4f. A quintain. 
Now, swete sir, wol ye justen atte/a. ? 
Chaucer, Prol. to Manciple's Tale, 1. 42. 
5. Figuratively, any agency which excites to 
action or which stimulates the activity of a 
passion or an emotion, producing effects analo- 
gous to those of a fan in exciting flame : as, this 
was a fan to rebellion; a fan to / love. 6. In 
Arthropoda, an appendage of the abdomen, as 
in the tail of Mysis, which may contain an audi- 
tory organ. 7. A measure of chaff, in Cam- 
bridgeshire, England, equal to 3 heaped bush- 
els. 8. The flukes of a whale : a whalers' term. 
Eucharlstic, holy, liturgical, or mystical fan. See 
Jlabellum. Order of the Fan, a Swedish order founded 
in 1744, and now extinct. 
fan (fan), v. ; pret. and pp. fanned, ppr. fan- 
ning. [< ME. fannen, tr. winnow, intr. flutter, 
= D. wannen = OHG. wannon, winnow; from 
the noun.] I. trans. 1. To cool and refresh, or 
affect in any way, by agitating the air with or 
as with a fan. 
Come Zephyrs, come, while Cupid sings, 
Fan her with your silky Wings. 
Congreve, Semele, 11. 2. 
Cleopatra disdained not ... to cause herself to be 
fanned by favourite slaves armed with screens or fea- 
thers of the Ibis, impregnated with odours. 
Uutnue, The Fan (trans.), p. 28. 
She was fanned into slumbers by her slaves. Sjiectator. 
2. To move or agitate with or as with a fan. 
The air 
Floats as they pass, fann'd with unnumber'd plumes. 
Milton, P. L., vii. 432. 
Her turtles fann'd the buxom air alwve: 
And, by his mother, stood an infant Love. 
Dryden, Pal. and Arc., ii. 519. 
The southwest wind 
Of soft June mornings fanned the thin white hair 
Of the sage flsher. Whittier, Bridal of Pennacook. 
3. To blow upon, literally or figuratively; ex- 
cite, as fire, by means of a current of air. 
Heav'n's fire confounds, when/aim'd with folly's breath. 
Quarles, Emblems, ii., Epig. 1. 
4. To winnow ; separate chaff from and drive 
it away by a current of air. 
Travelling along vales and over hills for about five hours, 
we passed by some cottages, where they were fanning 
their corn. Pocoche, Description of the East, II. i. 161. 
5. Figuratively, to produce effects upon anal- 
ogous to those of a fan in exciting flame ; ex- 
cite ; increase the activity or ardor of ; stim- 
ulate; inflame: said of the passions and emo- 
tions, of plots, etc. : as, this fanned the flame 
of his love; lie fanned the embers of rebellion. 
His was no flickering flame, that dies 
Unless vtheu fanned by looks and sighs, 
And lighted oft at lady's eyes. 
Scott, Marmion, v. 28. 
Fans every kindling flame of local prejudice. 
D. Webster, Speech, Feb. 22, 1832. 
That such a man conld spring from our decays 
Fans the soul's nobler faith until it burn. 
Lowell, Jeffries Wyman. 
II. intrant. 1. To move, as if by the action 
of a fan or by fanning. 2. To assume a fan- 
like shape Fanning along ((.), moving along 
very slowly, with the sails alternately filling and collaps- 
Obverse. Reverse. 
Fanam of Madras, British 
Museum. ( Size of the origi- 
nal.) 
2135 
Ing, In light, unsteady puffs of wind. To fan out, to 
spread or reach out in the form of a fan; hence, to be- 
come thin and scattered, as a school of fish. 
fanal (fa-nal'), w. [< F.fanal = Sp. Pg.fanal, 
a lantern, signal-light, beacon, lighthouse, < 
It. fanale, a signal-light, beacon, lighthouse 
(ML. fanale), < It. dial. (Veu.) fano, It. faro, 
a lighthouse, < L. pharos, < Gr. ^dpof, a light- 
house : see pharos. The It. dial, fano is less 
prob. referred to Gr. (f>ai<6f, a torch, a lantern.] 
A small lighthouse, or, more commonly, the 
lamp or apparatus placed in such a lighthouse 
to give light. 
fanam (fa-nam'), TO. [Anglo-Ind., < Hind./a- 
toj.] 1. The name of various native gold 
coins formerly current 
in southern India, and 
weighing from 5 to 6 
grains; also, the name 
of various small Euro- 
pean silver coins for- 
merly current in India. 
The value varied in different 
places, but it may be stated at 
about 3 pence English. 
You are desired to lay a silver fanam, a piece worth 
three pence, upon the ground. This, which is the small- 
est of all coins, the elephant feels about till he finds. 
Carraccioli, Life of Clive, I. 288. 
2. Formerly, a money of account in India. 
fanatic (fa-nat'ik), a. and n. [Formerly/aa<- 
ick; = F\' fanatique = Sp. fandtico = Pg. It. 
fanatico = D. fanatiek (cf. G.fanatisch = Dan. 
Sw. fanatisk), < L. fanaticus, pertaining to a 
temple, inspired by a divinity, enthusiastic, 
frantic, furious, mad, < fanum, a temple : see 
/one 2 .] I. a. Same as fanatical. 
II. TO. A person affected by zeal or enthu- 
siasm, particularly on religious subjects ; one 
given to wild and extravagant notions of reli- 
gion. 
There is a new word, coined within few months, called 
fanatics, which, by the close stickling thereof, seemeth 
well cut out and proportioned to signify what is meant 
thereby, even the sectaries of our age. 
Fuller, Mixt Contemplations (1660). 
He who sacrifices all expediency to a theory or a belief 
is in danger of becoming a fanatic. 
J. F. Clarke, Self-Culture, p. 213. 
fanatical (fa-nat'i-kal), a. [< fanatic + -aZ.] 
1. Wild and extravagant in opinions, particu- 
larly in religious opinions; extreme, or main- 
taining opinions in an extreme way ; especially, 
inordinately zealous, enthusiastic, or bigoted. 
A fanatiek Fellow, one John Powdras, a Tanner's Son of 
Exeter, gave forth that himself was the true Edward, eld- 
est Son of the late King Edward the First, and by a false 
Nurse was changed in his Cradle. 
Baker, Chronicles, p. 109. 
It is amusing to observe the first words of this fanatical 
hypocrite [Cromwell], corresponding so exactly to his char- 
acter. Hume, Hist. Eng., II. 
2. Of an extravagant, extreme, or inordinately 
zealous kind: as, fanaticalide&s. 
A Christen mannis obedyence standeth not in the ful- 
fyllyng otfanaticall vowes. Bp. Bale, Apology, fol. 9. 
I abhor such fanatical phantasms. Shak., L. L. L., v. 1. 
Who that hath seen the new generation of scientists at 
their work does not delight in their healthy and manly 
vigor, even when most he feels their iconoclasm to he 
fanatical' J. K. Seeley, Nat. Religion, p. 125. 
= Syn. Enthusiastic, Fanatical, etc. See enthusiastic and 
superstition. 
fanatically (fa-nat'i-kal-i), adv. In a fanatical 
manner; with inordinate zeal or with bigotry. 
When men are furiously and fanatically fond of an ob- 
ject, they will prefer it ... to their own peace. 
Burke, Petition of the Unitarians. 
fanaticalness (fa-nat'i-kal-nes), n. Fanaticism. 
That temper of prophaneness, whereby a man is dis- 
posed to contemn and despise all religion, ... is much 
worse . . . than fanaticalness, and idolatry. 
Bp. Wilkins, Natural Religion, ii. 1. 
fanaticism (fa-nat'i-sizm), n. [< fanatic + 
-ism.\ The character or conduct of a fanatic ; 
inordinate zeal or bigotry; the entertainment 
of wild and extravagant notions, especially in 
regard to religion. 
The national character became exalted by a religions 
fervor, which in later days, alas ! settled into a fierce 
fanaticism. Prescott, Ferd. and Isa., Int. 
The fanaticism of Cromwell never urged him on im- 
practicable undertakings, or confused his perception of 
the public good. Macaulay, Hallam's Const. Hist. 
The wild fanaticism that nerves the soul against danger, 
and almost steels the body against torments. 
Lecky, Rationalism, I. 153. 
= Syn. Credulity, Bigotry, etc. See superstition. 
fanaticize (fa-nat'i-siz), v. ; pret. and pp. /- 
naticized, ppr. fanaticizing. [(fanatic + -ize.~\ 
I. trans. To make fanatical. 
II. iittruns. To play the fanatic. 
fancifulness 
A man once committed headlong to republican or any 
other transcendentalism, and fighting and fanaticising 
amid a nation of his like, becomes as it were enveloped in 
an ambient atmosphere of transcendentalism and delirium. 
Carlyle, French Rev., III. iii. 2. 
[Bare in both uses.] 
fanatism (fan'a-tizm), n. [Improp. for fanati- 
cism; = G. fanatismus = Dan. fanatisme = Sw. 
fanatism, < F. fanatisme = Sp. Pg. It. fanatis- 
mo.~] Fanaticism. Gibbon. [Rare.] 
fan-blast (fan 'blast), n. In iron-works, the 
blast produced by a fan, in contradistinction 
to that produced by a blowing-engine. 
fan-blower (fan'blo"er), . A blower consist- 
ing of straight or curved vanes attached to a 
shaft which revolves with great rapidity. The 
vanes are inclosed in a cylindrical case, open at the center 
for the inflow of the air, and at the circumference pro- 
longed into the outflow, or blast-pipe. Also called fan- 
wheel. 
fancicalt, a. [< fancy + -ic-al.] Fanciful. 
After they have completed their timing, they will (if 
they be masters) fall into some kind of voluntary or /an- 
deal play more intelligible. T. Mace (1676). 
fancied (fan'sid), p. a. [Pp. of fancy, .] 1. 
Portrayed or formed by the fancy ; imaginary : 
as, & fancied grievance. 
The vision of enchantment's past ; 
Like frostwork in the morning ray, 
The fancied fabric melts away. 
Scott, Marmion, i., Int. 
Mr. Croker, in reprehending the fancied inaccuracy of 
Mrs. Thrale, has himself shown a degree of inaccuracy, 
or, to speak more properly, a degree of ignorance, hardly 
credible. Macaulay, Boswell's Johnson. 
2. Appealing to or produced by fancy; fanciful. 
His seals are curiously fancied and exquisitely well cut. 
Steele, Tatler, No. 142. 
fancier (fan'si-er), n. 1. One who fancies or 
has a special taste or aptitude: used of one 
who deals in objects of fanciful taste: as, a 
bird-/oneiery a tulip-/aweier. 
A thorough fancier now-a-days never stoops to breed 
toy-birds. Darwin, Var. of Animals and Plants, p. 226. 
2. One who is under the influence of his fancy : 
as, "not reasoners, but fanciers," Macaulay. 
fanciful (fan'si-ful), a. [< fancy + -ful.] 1. 
Led by fancy rather than by reason and expe- 
rience; subject to the influence of fancy; whim- 
sical: applied to persons. 
Those ... do not consider what a catching disease folly 
is; and how natural it is for men thatare/anct/Hin Re- 
ligion to exchange one folly for another. 
Stilliwjfleet, Sermons, II. vl. 
2. Opposed to real. 
Fanciful distinctions without much real difference. 
Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, 1. 118. 
No one is a hero to his valet, and the slightest incon- 
gruity of manner or deportment will shatter in an instant 
a /anei/ estimate of character generalized out of speeches 
or sermons. H. H. Oxenham, Short Studies, p. 21. 
3. Dictated or produced by fancy; appealing 
to or engaging the fancy ; characterized by ca- 
pricious aspects or qualities ; curious : applied 
to things: as, a, fanciful scheme ; fanciful shapes. 
Gather up all fancifullest shells. Keats, Endymion, i. 
It is by ideal and fanciful conceptions that men of im- 
perfectly trained intelligence are apt to be most power- 
fully and permanently affected. 
C. E. Norton, Church-building in Middle Ages, p. 14. 
= Syn. 1. Imaginative, visionary, capricious, eccentric. 3. 
Fanciful, Fantastic, Grotesque, chimerical, wild, Fan- 
tastic &nA grotesque m&y be applied to persons or to things, 
but grotesque to persons only when indicating outward ap- 
pearance. That which is fanciful is odd, but not beyond 
the point of pleasing ; that which is fantastic goes be- 
yond that point, suggesting an unregulated or half-crazy 
fancy : as, the fantastic notions or dress of a lunatic. 
That which is grotesque carries fancy so far as to be un- 
natural, absurd, a combination of incongruous parts, a 
travesty upon the real or proper. 
Come, see the north-wind's masonry. . . . 
Speeding, the myriad-handed, his wild work 
So fanciful, so savage, naught cares he 
For number or proportion. Emerson, Snow-Storm. 
Hard, hard, hard is it, only not to tumble, 
So fantastical is the dainty metre. 
. Tennyion, Experiments in Quantity. 
The grotesque conceits and the tuneless numbers of 
Donne were, in the time of James, the favourite models 
of composition at Whitehall and at the Temple. 
Macaulay, Dryden. 
fancifully (fan'si-ful-i), adv. In a fanciful 
manner; capriciously or whimsically; with cu- 
rious prettiness or oddness. 
For wit consists in using strong metaphoric Images in 
uncommon yet apt allusions : just as antient Egyptian 
wisdom did in hieroglyphic symbols fancifully analo- 
gized. Warburton, Divine Legation, iv. 4. 
fancifulness (fan'si-ful-nes), n. The quality 
of being fanciful, or influenced by the fancy 
rather than by reason and experience ; the qual- 
ity of being dictated or produced by fancy. 
Albertus Magnus, . . . somewhat transported with too 
much fancifulness towards the influences of the heavenly 
