Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for

wean

[ ween ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to accustom (a child or young animal) to food other than mother's milk; cause to lose the need to suckle or turn to the mother for food.
  2. to withdraw (a person, the affections, one's dependency, etc.) from some object, habit, form of enjoyment, or the like:

    The need to reduce had weaned us from rich desserts.



verb phrase

  1. to accustom to; to familiarize with from, or as if from, childhood:

    a brilliant student weaned on the classics;

    suburban kids weaned on rock music.

wean

1

/ ɾː /

verb

  1. to cause (a child or young mammal) to replace mother's milk by other nourishment
  2. usually foll by from to cause to desert former habits, pursuits, etc
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

wean

2

/ weɪn; ɾː /

noun

  1. dialect.
    a child; infant
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈɱ𲹲ԾԲ, noun
Discover More

Other Word Forms

  • ɱ𲹲··Ա [wee, -nid-nis, weend, -], noun
  • Dz·ɱ𲹲·Բ adjective
  • ·ɱ𲹲·Բ adjective
  • ܲ·ɱ𲹲Ա adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of wean1

First recorded before 1000; Middle English wenen, Old English wenian; cognate with Dutch wennen, German öԱ, Old Norse venja “to accustom”
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of wean1

Old English wenian to accustom; related to German öԱ to get used to

Origin of wean2

a contraction of wee ane or perhaps a shortened form of weanling
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Children who are "barely out of weaning" are coming to hospital for multiple tooth extractions because of tooth decay caused by their diets, said Eddie Crouch, BDA chief executive.

From

The expansion of trade with South East Asia, Latin America and Africa comes as China tries to wean itself off the US.

From

Because of the way teeth grow, they provide a unique record of everything someone has eaten from the time they are weaned right through to their death.

From

One of my New Year's resolutions for this year is to wean off coffee and drink more tea.

From

Those weaned on the worlds of Potter will love it.

From

Advertisement

Related Words

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wiseweaner