wan Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a computer network that spans a wider area than does a local area network
    wide area network.
  2. verb become pale and sickly
  3. adjective satellite (of light) lacking in intensity or brightness; dim or feeble
    pallid; pale; sick.
    • the pale light of a half moon
    • a pale sun
    • the late afternoon light coming through the el tracks fell in pale oblongs on the street
    • a pallid sky
    • the pale (or wan) stars
    • the wan light of dawn
  4. adjective satellite abnormally deficient in color as suggesting physical or emotional distress
    pallid; pale.
    • the pallid face of the invalid
    • her wan face suddenly flushed
  5. adjective satellite lacking vitality as from weariness or illness or unhappiness
    • a wan smile

WordNet

Wan imp. of Win
Definitions
obs.
  1. Won. Chaucer.
Wan adjective
Etymology
AS. wann, wonn, wan, won, dark, lurid, livid, perhaps originally, worn out by toil, from winnan to labor, strive. See Win.
Definitions
  1. Having a pale or sickly hue; languid of look; pale; pallid. "Sad to view, his visage pale and wan." Spenser.
    My color . . . [is] wan and of a leaden hue. Chaucer.
    Why so pale and wan, fond lover? Suckling.
    With the wan moon overhead. Longfellow.
Wan noun
Definitions
  1. The quality of being wan; wanness. R.
    Tinged with wan from lack of sleep. Tennyson.
Wan intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To grow wan; to become pale or sickly in looks. "All his visage wanned." Shak.
    And ever he mutter'd and madden'd, and ever wann'd with despair. Tennyson.

Webster 1913