Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.
   --Raymond.

Van \Van\, n. [Abbreviated from caravan.]
   1. A light wagon, either covered or open, used by tradesmen
      and others fore the transportation of goods. [Eng.]

   2. A large covered wagon for moving furniture, etc., also for
      conveying wild beasts, etc., for exhibition.

   3. A close railway car for baggage. See the Note under {Car},
      2. [Eng.]

Van \Van\, n. [L. vannus a van, or fan for winnowing grain: cf.
   F. van. Cf. {Fan}, {Van} a wing {Winnow}.]
   1. A fan or other contrivance, as a sieve, for winnowing
      grain.

   2. [OF. vanne, F. vanneau beam feather (cf. It. vanno a wing)
      fr. L. vannus. See Etymology above.] A wing with which the
      air is beaten. [Archaic] ``[/Angels] on the air plumy vans
      received him. '' --Milton.

            He wheeled in air, and stretched his vans in vain;
            His vans no longer could his flight sustain.
                                                  --Dryden.

Van \Van\, v. t. [Cf. F. vanner to winnow, to fan. See {Van} a
   winnowing machine.]
   To fan, or to cleanse by fanning; to winnow. [Obs.] --Bacon.

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.                                 --Milton.

Source : WordNet®

van
     n 1: any creative group active in the innovation and application
          of new concepts and techniques in a given field
          (especially in the arts) [syn: {avant-garde}, {vanguard},
           {new wave}]
     2: the leading units moving at the head of an army [syn: {vanguard}]
     3: a camper equipped with living quarters [syn: {caravan}]
     4: a truck with an enclosed cargo space

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

VAN
     
        {Value Added Network}