| 1. large closed vehicle used for transporting goods or people; railroad car (British). vanvan, v. t. [cf. f. vanner to winnow, to fan. see: van a winnowing machine.] to fan, or to cleanse by fanning; to winnow. [obs.]van van , n. [abbrev. fr. vanguard.] 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. standards and gonfalons, twixt van and rear, stream in the air.van van, n. [cornish.] (mining) a shovel used in cleansing ore.van van, v. t. (mining) to wash or cleanse, as a small portion of ore, on a shovel. mond.van van, n. [abbreviated from caravan.] |