vane
pronunciation
How to pronounce vane in British English:
UK [veɪn]
How to pronounce vane in American English:
US [ven]
-
- Noun:
- flat surface that rotates and pushes against air or water
- mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind
- a metal fin attached to the tail of a bomb or missile in order to stabilize or guide it
- the flattened weblike part of a feather consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaft
Word Origin
- vane
- vane: [15] Vane is an alteration of an earlier fane ‘flag, weather-cock’, which was descended from Old English fana. This in turn came from a prehistoric Germanic *fanon. The change from fane to vane took place in southwest England, where initial f and s have a tendency to become v and z (as in zyder for cyder).
- vane (n.)
- "plate metal wind indicator," early 15c., southern England alteration (see V) of fane "flag, banner."
Example
- 1. Roof and spire and darkened vane
- 2. The relative location between tongue and vane can also influence the the hydraulic loss .
- 3. Take a moment to thank edward stone , the english vicar whose experiments with willow bark gave rise to modern aspirin and john vane , who uncovered how the drug worked .
- 4. Vogue vane to perfect your vision .
- 5. The moon rises behind a weather vane in the shape of a tennis player at the 2010 wimbledon tennis championships in south london .