A device for creating a current of air by movement of a surface or surfaces.

ETYM AS. fann, from Latin vannus fan, van for winnowing grain; cf. French van. Related to Van a winnowing machine, Winnow.
1. A device for creating a current of air by movement of a surface or surfaces.
2. An ardent follower; SYN. buff, devotee, lover, afficionado.
Fashion accessory, opening from the folded state into a semicircular shape which is held in the hand and gently moved backward and forward to create a circulation of air, cooling the holder of the fan.
Fans were introduced into Europe through trade routes from the East in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Made of materials such as sandalwood, ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, feathers, silk, paper, and lace, and sometimes decorated with hand-painted designs, fans reached the height of popularity in the 18th century. + prikaži više

ETYM Cf. French ventilateur, Latin ventilator a winnower.
A device that introduces fresh air or expels foul air.
Machine that assists or maintains breathing when a patient is unable to breathe normally due to illness or injury. There are two modes of ventilation in medical use: positive pressure and negative pressure. The more widely used is the positive pressure ventilator, sometimes popularly known as a “life-support machine”. With this, air is blown through an endotracheal tube down the back of the throat to inflate the lungs; the air is exhaled when the pressure from the ventilator is released. Usually this mode of ventilation is only needed for a short time.
The iron lung is an example of a negative pressure ventilator.
The patient lies encased in it, with only the head exposed. A vacuum is created inside the chamber, causing the chest wall to expand and drawing air into the lungs; as the vacuum is released the chest wall subsides, expelling air from the lungs. This mode of assisted ventilation is suitable for people with chronic breathing difficulties, including some polio victims. + prikaži više