Vane of a leveling staff
(gcide) | Vane \Vane\ (v[=a]n), n. [OE. & Prov. E. fane weathercock,
banner, AS. fana a banner, flag; akin to D. vaan, G. fahne,
OHG. fano cloth, gund fano flag, Icel. f[=a]ni, Sw. fana,
Dan. fane, Goth. fana cloth, L. pannus, and perhaps to Gr.
ph^nos a web, phni`on a bobbin, spool. Cf. Fanon, Pane a
compartment, panel.]
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1. A contrivance attached to some elevated object for the
purpose of showing which way the wind blows; a
weathercock. It is usually a plate or strip of metal, or
slip of wood, often cut into some fanciful form, and
placed upon a perpendicular axis around which it moves
freely.
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Aye undiscreet, and changing as a vane. --Chaucer.
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2. Any flat, extended surface attached to an axis and moved
by the wind; as, the vane of a windmill; hence, a similar
fixture of any form moved in or by water, air, or other
fluid; as, the vane of a screw propeller, a fan blower, an
anemometer, etc.
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3. (Zool.) The rhachis and web of a feather taken together.
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4. One of the sights of a compass, quadrant, etc.
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Vane of a leveling staff. (Surv.) Same as Target, 3.
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