Vans

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Motor vehicles designed to transport cargo or groups of passengers ; the letter 'v' in plural form ; a company known for producing skateboarding footwear and casual clothing
2. Enclosed vehicles used for moving goods or multiple people ; the alphabetical character 'v' expressed as more than one ; a brand recognized for its skate style shoes and apparel
3. Large automobiles intended for shipping goods or people ; multiple instances of the letter 'v' ; a popular brand that specializes in skateboarding shoes and streetwear

Etymology: "Vans" is the plural of "van," and the singular is itself a clipped form. The most common account is that "van" is short for "caravan," the term for a covered vehicle or group of wagons travelling together, so the modern van is a shrunken remnant of a much larger idea. A second route runs through "vanguard," the front part of an army, which was shortened to "van" to mean the leading part of a force. The two senses are linked by the notion of going first: the advance guard at the front of a column, and the vehicle leading or carrying the load. The skateboarding brand takes its name from the vehicle, and the letter "v" in the plural is simply the regular letter-name pluralized. Neither sense shares a root with "fan" or "winnow," though the source offers a French "van" as a possible relative of those words; that theory is not worth pursuing here.

Synonyms: vehicles, transportation, cars, trucks, buses