ENGLISH
REFERENCE

van

n. · v.
US //ˈvæn// UK //vˈæn// van
  1. 1 transport vehicle (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a motor vehicle that is used for carrying goods or several people.

    a covered motor vehicle used for the transport of goods or a small number of passengers, typically larger than a car but smaller than a lorry.

    Example

    We hired a large van to move all our furniture to the new house.

    Example

    The delivery company updated its fleet with electric vans to reduce carbon emissions during last-mile logistics in the city centre.
  2. 2 railway carriage (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English

    a railway carriage used for carrying goods or luggage.

    an enclosed railway vehicle designed for the transport of goods or luggage.

    Example

    The guard sat in the brake van at the back of the train.

    Example

    The vintage steam train included a restored goods van, which was used to demonstrate how freight was moved in the early twentieth century.
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  1. 3 the front (n.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    the leading part of a group, an army, or a movement.

    a clipping of 'vanguard' referring to the leading position in an army or a movement.

    Example

    The young activists were in the van of the protest march.

    Example

    As a pioneer in renewable energy, the company has remained in the van of technological innovation for over a decade.
  2. 4 mining shovel (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    a special shovel used for cleaning or testing small amounts of ore.

    a shovel used for cleansing or testing a small portion of ore by washing.

    Example

    The miner used a van to separate the heavy minerals from the waste.

    Example

    Traditional prospecting involved using a van to carefully wash ore samples, allowing the surveyor to estimate the mineral content of the vein.

  3. 5 to transport (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to move something, especially a horse, using a van.

    to transport goods or animals, particularly horses, in a van or similar vehicle.

    Example

    They decided to van the horses to the competition instead of riding them there.

    Example

    The logistics team had to van the delicate equipment across the border to ensure it remained protected from the elements.
Idioms1 entry

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