Definition van
Etymology 1
Short for caravan.
Noun
van (plural vans)
- A covered vehicle used for carrying goods or people, usually roughly cuboid in shape, longer and higher than a car but smaller than a truck/lorry.
- (Britain) An enclosed railway vehicle for transport of goods.
- (Britain, dated) A light wagon, either covered or open, used by tradesmen and others for the transportation of goods.
- (aeronautics, space) A large towable vehicle equipped for the repair of structures that cannot easily be moved.
Verb
van (third-person singular simple present vans, present participle vanning, simple past and past participle vanned)
- (transitive) To transport in a van or similar vehicle (especially of horses).
- (Internet slang, used in passive voice) Of law enforcement: to arrest (not necessarily in a van; derived from party van).
Etymology 2
Shortening of vanguard.
Noun
van (plural vans)
- Clipping of vanguard.
Etymology 3
From Cornish.
Noun
van (plural vans)
- (mining) A shovel used in cleansing ore.
Verb
van (third-person singular simple present vans, present participle vanning, simple past and past participle vanned)
- (mining) To wash or cleanse, as a small portion of ore, on a shovel.
Etymology 4
From Latin vannus (“a van, or fan for winnowing grain”): compare French van and English fan, winnow.
Noun
van (plural vans)
- A fan or other contrivance, such as a sieve, for winnowing grain.
- A wing with which the air is beaten.