fan

fan1 [ fæn ] noun count **

1. ) someone who likes watching or listening to something such as a sport, movies, or music very much or who admires a famous or important person very much:

a football/baseball/tennis etc. fan: a crowd of noisy football fans

fan of: I'm a big fan of Madonna.

a pop/movie fan: Movie fans will know his name.

2. ) a machine with blades that turn and move the air in a room to make it feel less hot

a ) a flat object that you move backward and forward in front of your face in order to make yourself feel less hot

fan

fan 2 [ fæn ] verb transitive *

1. ) to move a flat object backward and forward in front of someone's face in order to make them feel less hot:

The audience fanned themselves with their programs.

2. ) to make a fire burn more strongly by moving air onto it:

Strong winds fanned the fire, which soon spread.

3. ) FORMAL to make a feeling or belief stronger:

His excuses fanned her anger even further.

fan the flames of something: a speech which fanned the flames of hatred

,fan `out phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive if a group of people fan out, they move forward and apart in a straight line:

Officers fanned out across the field to look for clues.

2. ) intransitive or transitive to spread objects or parts out, often in the shape of a SEMI-CIRCLE:

Her long dark hair fanned out across the pillow.