van
noun
[ van ]
• a medium-sized motor vehicle, typically without side windows in the rear part, for transporting goods.
• "delivery vans can't pull in and are holding up the traffic behind them"
Origin:
early 19th century: shortening of caravan.
van
noun
• the foremost part of a group of people moving or preparing to move forwards, especially the foremost division of an advancing military force.
• "in the van were the foremost chiefs and some of the warriors astride horses"
Origin:
early 17th century: abbreviation of vanguard.
van
noun
• a winnowing fan.
• a bird's wing.
Origin:
late Middle English: dialect variant of fan1, probably reinforced by Old French van or Latin vannus .
van
noun
• another term for advantage.
Origin:
1920s: abbreviation.
