VANE

vane. Vane, n. a plate that turns with the wind, a van

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Vane (vān), 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. fāni, Sw. fana, Dan. fane, Goth. fana cloth, L. pannus, and perhaps to Gr. πη̑νοσ a web, πηνίον a bobbin, spool. Cf. Fanon, Pane a compartment, panel.]] 1. 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.
Aye undiscreet, and changing as a vane. Chaucer. 2. 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.
3. 3. (Zoöl.) The rhachis and web of a feather taken together.
4. 4. One of the sights of a compass, quadrant, etc.
Vane of a leveling staff. (Surv.) Same as Target, 3.