| Van 1. (n.) The front of an army; the first line or leading column; also, the front line or foremost division of a fleet, either in sailing or in battle. 2. (n.) A shovel used in cleansing ore. 3. (v. t.) To wash or cleanse, as a small portion of ore, on a shovel. 4. (n.) A light wagon, either covered or open, used by tradesmen and others fore the transportation of goods. 5. (n.) A large covered wagon for moving furniture, etc., also for conveying wild beasts, etc., for exhibition. 6. (n.) A close railway car for baggage. 7. (n.) A fan or other contrivance, as a sieve, for winnowing grain. 8. (n.) A wing with which the air is beaten. 9. (v. t.) To fan, or to cleanse by fanning; to winnow. Thesaurus Entries Conestoga wagon, Pullman, Pullman car, advance guard, airhead, anteposition, armed guard, avant-garde, baggage car, bank guard, battle line, beachhead, boxcar, bridgehead, caboose, car, caravan, carriage, chair car, coach, coal car, coast guard, cordon, cordon sanitaire, covered waggon, covered wagon, day coach, diner, dinghy, dining car, drawing room, dray, farthest outpost, first line, flat, flatcar, forefront, foregoing, front, front line, front rank, front-runner, garrison, goalie, goalkeeper, goaltender, gondola, guard, guarder, guardsman, haywagon, heading, inlying picket, jailer, le pas, leading, line, local, luggage van, mail car, mail van, outguard, outpost, palace car, parlor car, passenger car, picket, pioneer, point, prairie schooner, precedence, preceding, precursor, priority, railhead, railway car, rear guard, reefer, refrigerator car, roomette, scout, security guard, sleeper, smoker, smoking car, spearhead, stockcar, tank, tender, the lead, train guard, truck, vanguard, waggon, wagon, wain, warder |