van

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A covered motor vehicle used to carry goods or (normally less than ten) persons, usually roughly cuboid in shape, Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and longer and higher than a car but relatively smaller than a truck/lorry or a bus.

   While Santa Monica has a longstanding prohibition against public camping that includes living in vehicles, the van rental business has been a problem in Venice for years. […] Organizations that provide safe parking locations have limited capacity and are often unable to accommodate the kind of non-operational vans that are being repurposed as makeshift housing.

2. 2
   noun

   A large towable vehicle equipped for the repair of structures that cannot easily be moved.

   Designed to be fully mobile and self-contained, the complete equipment includes an air-conditioned van containing all necessary electronic gear and a flat bed trailer in which missiles, jet engines and other large assemblies may be cleaned.

3. 3
   verb

   To transport in a van or similar vehicle (especially of horses).

   I have to have a license to own them, a license to train them, my jockey has to have a license to ride them, the van company must have a license to van them, and the black shoe man must have a license to shoe them.

4. 4
   verb

   Of law enforcement: to arrest (not necessarily in a van; derived from party van).

   One Anon explained the reason for this, saying: "As for the domains, they were transferred to Ryan after some of us got vanned so he can keep the network up. What he did certainly wasn't the plan." (Getting "vanned" refers to getting picked up by the police.)

5. 5
   noun

   Clipping of vanguard.

   Ten thousand thousand Ensignes high advanc'd, / Standards, and Gonfalons twixt Van and Reare / Streame in the Aire, and for distinction serve

6. 6
   noun

   A fan or other contrivance, such as a sieve, for winnowing grain.

   with strange amaze / A shepherd meeting thee, the oar surveys, / And names a van (Book XI)

7. 7
   noun

   A wing with which the air is beaten.

   So Satan fell; and ſtrait a fiery Globe / Of Angels on full ſail of wing flew nigh, / Who on their plumy Vans receiv'd him ſoft […]

8. 8
   name

   A diminutive of the male given names Vance, Ivan, or Evan.

   'Beautiful idea,' said Van as he helped Ada to heat the tank, fill the old battered bath and warm a couple of towels.

Etymology

From Turkish Van, from Ottoman Turkish وان (Van), from Middle Armenian Վան (Van).