fån

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word fån. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word fån, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say fån in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word fån you have here. The definition of the word fån will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition offån, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish fāne, from Old Norse fáni (vain person, swaggerer), but of unknown ultimate origin. Related to middle Danish fåne (fool).[1][2] Perhaps related to or influenced by fjäll (rock, cliff, mountain).[3] Compare also English fumble, Norwegian Nynorsk fomme (clumsy fool).

Possibly loaned into English, compare fun, fond.

Pronunciation

Noun

fån n

  1. idiot, fool, halfwit, stupid person
    Stå inte där som ett fån
    Don't stand there like an idiot

Usage notes

  • Often has connotations of seeming a bit lost and confused, in a silly, dumb, conspicuous way (that might arouse löje in severe cases). Closer to fool than idiot, but not as old-fashioned, hence the translation.
  • A synonym is fåne. Fån is always used in "som ett fån," and "är ett fån" is more common than "är en fåne."

Declension

See also

Verb

fån

  1. inflection of :
    1. (obsolete) second-person plural present indicative
    2. (archaic or dialectal) second-person plural imperative
    • Upp, alla I som ären törstiga, kommen hit och fån vatten
      Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters
      (literally, “Ho, all of you who are thirsty, come ye here and get water”)
      (Isaiah 55:1)

References

  1. ^ Verity, A. W., Milton, J. (1904). Samson Agonistes: With Introd., Notes, Glossary and Indexes. United Kingdom: University Press, p. 147
  2. ^ Ó Muirithe, D. (2011). Words We Don't Use (Much Anymore): The Meaning of Words And Where They Come From. Ireland: Gill Books.
  3. ^ fån”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (in Swedish), 1937