van

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun British English

n. a railway carriage used for carrying goods or luggage.

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

日本語:貨車※

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

“The vintage steam train included a restored goods van, which was used to demonstrate how freight was moved in the early twentieth century.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Literary

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

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

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

“As a pioneer in renewable energy, the company has remained in the van of technological innovation for over a decade.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical

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

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

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

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

B2 · Upper Intermediate

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

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

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

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