—van /væn/
noun (FRONT)
in the van of sth UK FORMAL► F0 at the front, or in the most advanced position, of something: » The US is in the van of the quest to establish contact with other planets.→ SEE ALSO THE VANGUARD(Cf. ↑the vanguard)Thesaurus+: ↑Describing the leading positionnoun (VEHICLE)
B1 [C] a medium-sized road vehicle used especially for carrying goods, which often has no windows in the sides at the back half:
» a delivery van» a Transit van» a van driverThesaurus+: ↑Trucks, vans and caravansF0 [C] US a medium-sized vehicle with windows all round, used for carrying more people than an ordinary car
Thesaurus+: ↑Trucks, vans and caravans• • •
Extra Examples:» There was a series of explosions and the van burst into flames .» The raiders machine-gunned everyone in the bank before escaping in a van.» The sound of the ice-cream van was borne into the office on the wind.» The van drivers refused to cross the picket line .» Do you want help bringing your stuff in from the van?- ♯ About to happen
- ♯ Above and over
- ♯ Absent
- ♯ Abstaining and refraining
- ♯ Accepting and agreeing
- ♯ Accepting and agreeing reluctantly
- ♯ Accidents and disasters
- ♯ Accidents involving vehicles
- ♯ Accommodating people
- ♯ Accounting
- ♯ Accounts and stories
- ♯ Accurate and exact
- ♯ Achievable
- ♯ Acting and acts
- ♯ Acting, being or existing together
- ♯ Acting, rehearsing and performing
- ♯ Actions involved in playing cards
- ♯ Activism and pressure groups
- ♯ Actors and performers
- ♯ Adapting and attuning to something
- ♯ Adapting and modifying
- ♯ Addiction
- ♯ Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
- ♯ Additives in food and drinks
- ♯ Administering drugs and medicines