wean

wean

verb \ˈwēn\

Definition of WEAN

transitive verb

1

: to accustom (as a young child or animal) to take food otherwise than by nursing

2

: to detach from a source of dependence <being weaned off the medication> <wean the bears from human food — Sports Illus.>; also : to free from a usually unwholesome habit or interest <wean him off his excessive drinking> <settling his soldiers on the land… , weaning them from habits of violence — Geoffrey Carnall>

3

: to accustom to something from an early age —used in the passive especially with on <students weaned on the Internet for research> <I was weaned on greasepaint — Helen Hayes> <the principles upon which he had been weaned — J. A. Michener>

Examples of WEAN

1. The calves are weaned at an early age.

Origin of WEAN

Middle English wenen, from Old English wenian to accustom, wean; akin to Old English wunian to be used to — more at wont

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with WEAN

bean, clean, dean, Dean, Deane, dene, e'en, gene, glean, green, jean, keen, lean, lien, mean, mesne, mien, peen, preen, quean, queen, scene, screen, sheen, shin, sin, spean, spleen, teen, tween, ween, wheen, yean