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Fan vs Fay - What's the difference?

fan | fay |

As a noun fan

is .

As a proper noun fay is

, originally a nickname from "faith, loyalty" or "a fairy".

fan

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl), from (etyl) . More at (l).

Noun

(en noun)
  • A hand-held device consisting of concertinaed material, or slats of material, gathered together at one end, that may be opened out into the shape of a sector of a circle and waved back and forth in order to move air towards oneself and cool oneself.
  • An electrical device for moving air, used for cooling people, machinery, etc.
  • Anything resembling a hand-held fan in shape, e.g., a peacock’s tail.
  • An instrument for winnowing grain, by moving which the grain is tossed and agitated, and the chaff is separated and blown away.
  • * :
    • The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan .
  • * :
    • Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
  • A small vane or sail, used to keep the large sails of a smock windmill always in the direction of the wind.
    • Derived terms
    * ceiling fan * cooling fan * desk fan * exhaust fan * extractor fan * fan belt * fan dance * fan death * hit the fan * pedestal fan * wall fan

    Verb

    (fann)
  • To blow air on (something) by means of a fan (hand-held, mechanical or electrical) or otherwise.
    • We enjoyed standing at the edge of the cliff, being fanned by the wind. .
  • * 1865 , (Lewis Carroll), (w, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)
    • Alice took up the fan and gloves, and, as the hall was very hot, she kept fanning herself all the time she went on talking.
  • To slap (a behind, especially).
  • * 1934 , edition, ISBN 0553278193, page 148:
  • *
  • To move or spread in multiple directions from one point, in the shape of a hand-held fan.
    • Derived terms
    * fanner

    Etymology 2

    Shortened from (fanatic).

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • An admirer or aficionado, especially of a sport or performer; someone who is fond of something or someone; an admirer.
    • I am a big fan of libraries.

    See also

    * fanne

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    fay

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) feyen, feien, from (etyl) . More at (l).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To fit.
  • To join or unite closely or tightly.
  • * US Patent Application 20070033853, 2006:
    • Under the four outer corners of the horizontal frame platform 22 are four tubular leg sleeves 23 that are fay together one at each outer corner.
  • * Model Shipbuilders , 2010:
    • I have a strip cutter and I can cut the exact widths I need to fit, they are easy to fay together and attach very firmly to the bulkheads.
  • To lie close together.
  • To fadge.
    • Derived terms
    * faying surface

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) fegien, . More at (l), (l), (l).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (dialectal) To cleanse; clean out.

    • Etymology 3

    (etyl) faie, . More at fairy.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A fairy; an elf.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , II.ii:
    • that mighty Princesse did complaine / Of grieuous mischiefes, which a wicked Fay / Had wrought [...].
    See also
    * fey * fae

    Etymology 4

    Abbreviation of (ofay).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A white person.

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • White.
  • * 1946 , Mezz Mezzrow and Bernard Wolfe, Really the Blues , Payback Press 1999, p. 62:
    • I really went for Ray's press roll on the drums; he was the first fay boy I ever heard who mastered this vital foundation of jazz music.

    Anagrams

    *