pan
1. pan \'pan\ n [ME panne, fr. OE; akin to OHG phanna pan; both fr. a
prehistoric W]Gmc-NGmc word borrowed fr. L patina, fr. Gk patane-; akin to
L pate-re to be open - more at FATHOM 1a: a container usu. broad, shallow,
and open for domestic use 1b: any of various similar usu. metal
receptacles : as 1b1: either of the receptacles in a pair of scales 1b2:
a round shallow metal container to separate gold or other metal from w aste
by washing 2a: a natural basin or depression 2b: an artificial basin 2c:
a drifting fragment of the flat thin ice that forms in bays or along th e
shore 3: HARDPAN slang 4: FACE
2. pan vb or panned; or pan.ning 1: to wash earth, gravel, or other
material in a pan in search of gold or other metal 2a: to yield precious
metal in the process of panning 2b: to turn out well : SUCCEED {a visit
that panned out} 1a: to wash in a pan for the purpose of separating heavy
particles 1b: to separate (as gold) by panning 2: to criticize severely
3. pan \'pa:n\ n [Hindi pa-n, fr. Skt parna wing, leaf - more at FERN] : a
betel leaf; also : a masticatory of betel nut, lime, and pan
4. pan \'pan\ vb or panned; or pan.ning [panorama] 1: to rotate a
motion-picture or television camera so as to keep an object in the picture
or secure a panoramic effect of a camera 2: to undergo such rotation : to
cause to pan
5. pan \'pan\ n : the process of panning a motion-picture or television
camera Pan \'pan\ n [L, fr. Gk] : the Greek god of forests, pastures,
flocks, and shepherds represented as having the legs and sometimes the
ears and horns of a goat