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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Vane \Vane\ (v[=a]n), noun [OE. & E. Prov. E. fane weathercock, banner, AS. fana a banner, flag; akin to D. vaan, G. fahne, OHG. fano cloth, gund fano flag, Icel. f[=a]ni, Sw. fana, Dan. fane, Goth. fana cloth, L. pannus, and perhaps to Gr. ? a web, ? a bobbin, spool. Cf. {Fanon}, {Pane} a compartment, panel.]
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. 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. (Zo["o]l.) The rhachis and web of a feather taken together.
4. One of the sights of a compass, quadrant, etc.
{Vane of a leveling staff}. (Surv.) Same as {Target}, 3.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
vane
noun
1: flat surface that rotates and pushes against air or water [syn: {blade}]
2: mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind [syn: {weathervane}, {weather vane}, {wind vane}]
3: a metal fin attached to the tail of a bomb or missile in order to stabilize or guide it
4: the flattened weblike part of a feather consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaft [syn: {web}]
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