Etymology Dictionary

VAN (1),  the front of an army.  (F.,—L.)   In Shak. Antony, iv. 6. 9.   An abbreviated form of van-guard, vant-guard, or avant-garde, also spelt van-ward, vaunt-warde.   'And when our vauntgard was passed the toune;' Holinshed, Chron. Edw. III, an. 1346.   'And her vantwarde was to-broke;' Rob. of Glouc. p. 362, l. 13; the pl. vaunt-wardes occurs, id. p. 437, l. 7.   Spelt vaunt-warde, vaun-warde, auaunt-warde, P. Plowman, C. xxiii. 95.—O.F. avant-warde, later avant-garde, 'the vanguard of an army;' Cot.   Here avant = Lat. ab ante, from in front; see Advance.   And see Guard, Ward.

VAN (2),  a fan for winnowing, &c.  (F.,—L.)   'His sail-broad vans,' i.e. wings; Milton, P. L.. ii. 927.—F. van, a vanne, or winnowing sieve;' Cot.—Lat. uannum, acc. of uannus, a fan; see Fan.   Der. van, v., to winnow, spelt vanne in Levins, from F. vanner, 'to vanne;' Cot.   Doublet, fan.

VAN (3),  a caravan or large covered wagon for goods.  (F.,—Span.,—Pers.)   A modern abbreviation for caravan, just as we now use bus for omnibus, and wig for periwig.   See Caravan.   'The little man will now walk three times round the cairawan;' Dickens, Going into Society.   'Carry me into the wan;' ibid.