Wean

Pronunciation

• enPR: wÄ“n, IPA: /wiːn/
• Rhymes: -iːn

Old English wenian.

Full definition of wean

Verb

1. (transitive) To cease giving milk to an offspring; to accustom and reconcile (a child or young animal) to a want or deprivation of mother's milk; to take from the breast or udder.The cow has weaned her calf.
• Bible, Genesis xxi. 8Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
2. (transitive) To cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated.He managed to wean himself off heroin.
• Jonathan SwiftThe troubles of age were intended ... to wean us gradually from our fondness of life.
3. (intransitive) To cease to depend on the mother for nourishment.The kittens are finally weaning.
4. (intransitive) To cease to depend.She is weaning from her addiction to tobacco.

weeane.

Noun

1. (Scotland) A small child.
• 2008, James Kelman, Kieron Smith, Boy, Penguin 2009, p. 92:Pigs, cows and sheep and wee ducks, that was what he bought and it was just for weans and wee lasses. I said it to my maw.Oh it is not weans it is children. Oh Kieron, it is children and girls, do not say weans and lasses.
• Elizabeth BrowningI, being but a yearling wean.

Anagrams

• anew
• Ewan
• wane