wan Hear it!

wan¹ Definition

wan (wän)

adjective wan·ner, wan·nest

  1. sickly pale; pallid a wan complexion
  2. faint or weak in a way suggestive of sickness or great weariness, sadness, etc. a wan smile
  3. pale, dim, faint, etc. a wan light

Etymology: ME < OE wann, dark

transitive verb, intransitive verb wanned, wan·ning

Now Rare to make or become sickly pale

wan¹ Related Forms
wanly adverb wan·ness noun
wan² Definition

wan (wan)

intransitive verb, transitive verb

Obsolete win

WAN Definition

WAN (wan)

noun

wide area network: a computer network (sense ) of geographically distant computers, terminals, etc.

wan Synonyms

wan

modif.

colorless, sickly, blanched; see pale 1. See syn. study at pale.

WAN (Wide Area Network) Telecom Definition
A network that covers a wide geographic area such as a state, province, region, or country.The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is a voice-oriented WAN.The Internet is a data-oriented public WAN.WANs can serve to interconnect LANs and MANs. See also LAN and MAN.
wan Usage Examples

Object

  • t: In the first activity we wan t to retrieve a YAC contig from a genomic database covering the genomic area in question.
  • tae: He shuffled fae wan foot tae the ither, lookin at the lamas, who stood smilin at the wean in the cradle.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • gie: Ye'd only gie yer soul tae wan like Annie.

Infinitive complement

  • do: We are sure that we can cater for you whatever you wan to do.
  • put: I do not wan to put Tia through more than would be necessay.
  • start: You may wan to start your video with a blank portion at the start ( if you are recording to VHS for example ).

Modifies a noun

  • smile: Often the answer would be in the form of a wan smile or silence.
  • o: Yir faither'll come in wi wan o ' his fantastic excuses.
  • face: It showed his wan face, streaked with mud and blood, in a moment of reflection.
  • day: Then wan day while we were daein the dishes he reached up high and sumpn fell oot his pocket.
  • anither: The only thing we've goat is wan anither.
  • wi: No the wan wi the three hooses, the other wee scunner, the wan who'd pit the boot in the taxi scam.

Modifying Another Word

  • n't: You do n't wan to miss that one.. .
  • only: Yer soul sees clear: there's only wan like Annie.
  • not: I do not wan to put Tia through more than would be necessay.
  • really: It can take a little time to figure out what you really wan t and where you can get it.
  • then: Then wan day while we were daein the dishes he reached up high and sumpn fell oot his pocket.
  • tragically: The idea that young comedians, furious with the Thatcher regime, might somehow galvanize Britain's youth into activism looks tragically wan now.
wan Quotes

Daisy and Lily, Lazy and silly, Walk by the shore of the wan grass sea,ö Talking once more 'neath a swan-bosomed tree.

—Sitwell, Dame Edith Louisa