wean en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- [ˈwɪi̯n]
- /ˈwiːn/
Etymology
From Middle English wenen, from Old English wenian (“to accustom; habituate; train; prepare; make fit”), from Proto-West Germanic *wannjan, from Proto-Germanic *wanjaną (“to make wont; accustom”), from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to strive for; wish; love”). Cognate with Dutch wennen, German gewöhnen, Danish vænne, Swedish vänja, Icelandic venja. Related via PIE to wone, wont, and wonder, and perhaps win.
Meanings
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(transitive) To cease giving breast 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.
Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 21:8:
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(broadly, followed by on, often, qualifier:chiefly passive voice, transitive) To cease giving breast 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. ▸ To habituate (someone) to something, especially since childhood.
His generation was weaned on 1980's music.
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(intransitive) To cease to depend on the mother's milk for nutrition.
The kittens are finally weaning.
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(broadly, normally "wean off", transitive) To cause to quit something to which one is addicted, dependent, or habituated.
He managed to wean himself off heroin.
With Marvin getting older ... and walking now ... I thought it was time to start weaning him off of his bottle.
2004 May 3, Tom Armstrong, Marvin (comic):The troubles of age were intended […] to wean us gradually from our fondness of life.
1727, Jonathan Swift, (Please provide the book title or journal name):Dalai Lama: "Then, I suggested, “Drink much less vodka.” Instead of that, they traditionally also drink horse milk—" Oliver: "Wait, hold on, you tried to wean them off vodka by giving them horse milk?" Dalai Lama: "Oh yes, and they follow."
March 6, 2017, John Oliver, “Interview with the Dalai Lama”, in Last Week Tonight:
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(broadly, intransitive) To cease to depend.
She is weaning from her addiction to tobacco.
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(broadly, obsolete, transitive) To raise, to help grow toward maturity
For they are friends that help to weane my ſtate, Till men and kingdomes help to ſtrengthen it: […]
c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| weans | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| weaned | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| weaned | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| weaning | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Translations (93)
hu elválaszt (to cease giving milk) · pl odstawić od piersi (to cease giving milk) · ja 乳離れさせる (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · mk се одвикнува (to cease to depend) · be аднімаць ад грудзей (to cease giving milk) · uk відлучити від грудей (to cease giving milk) · uk відлучати від грудей (to cease giving milk) · cy diddyfnu (to cease giving milk) · ru отвыка́ть от груди́ (to cease to depend) · pl odstawić (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · bg отучвам (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · ast esllechar (to cease giving milk) · be адняць ад грудзей (to cease giving milk) · es destetarse (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · ru отуча́ть от груди́ (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · ru отвы́кнуть (to cease to depend) · be адлучаць ад грудзей (to cease giving milk) · ru отуча́ть (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · fi vieroittaa (to cease giving milk) · ru отучи́ть (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · be адлучыць ад грудзей (to cease giving milk) · cs odvyknout (to cease to depend) · fi päästä irti (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · it disabituare (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · fi vieroittua (to cease to depend) · da afvænne (to cease to depend) · nl afnemen (to cease giving milk) · de entwöhnen (to cease giving milk) · es desengancharse (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · th หย่านม (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · el απογαλακτίζω (to cease giving milk) · de entwöhnen (to cease to depend) · cs přestat kojit (to cease giving milk) · bg отбивам (to cease giving milk) · mi whakamakere ū (to cease giving milk) · pl odstawiać (to cease to depend) · cs odnaučit se (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · vi cai sữa (to cease giving milk) · it svezzare (to cease giving milk) · ar اِنْفَطَمَ (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · ja やめさせる (to cease to depend) · cs odstavit (to cease giving milk) · ca desacostumar (to cease to depend) · ru отнима́ть от груди́ (to cease giving milk) · hu leszoktat (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · ca desmamar (to cease giving milk) · yi אַנטװײנען (to cease giving milk) · io ablaktar (to cease giving milk) · he גמל (to cease giving milk) · fi vieroittua (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · es desmamarse (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · es desmamar (to cease giving milk) · es deshabituar (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · fr sevrer (to cease to depend) · da afvænne (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · pl odstawiać od piersi (to cease giving milk) · cy diddyfnu (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · ru отня́ть от груди́ (to cease giving milk) · ar فَطَمَ (to cease giving milk) · mk одвикнува (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · eo dekutimigi (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · de abstillen (to cease giving milk) · fi päästä eroon (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · da afvænne (to cease giving milk) · nl ontwennen (to cease to depend) · ca deshabituar (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · sv avvänja (to cease to depend) · vi dứt sữa (to cease giving milk) · tr sütten kesmek (to cease giving milk) · pt desmamar (to cease giving milk) · cs odvyknout (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · ru отлучи́ть (to cease giving milk) · ru отвыка́ть (to cease to depend) · ga scoith (to cease giving milk) · nl spenen (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · pl odstawić (to cease to depend) · el απογαλακτίζομαι (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · sv avvänja (to cease giving milk) · qu hanuk'ay (to cease giving milk) · ro înțărca (to cease giving milk) · mi whakamutu i te kai waiū (to cease giving milk) · tr sütten kesilmek (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · lad destetar (to cease giving milk) · ru отучи́ть от груди́ (to cease to depend on the mother for nourishment) · cs odnaučit se (to cease to depend) · pl odstawiać (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · ru отвы́кнуть от груди́ (to cease to depend) · ca deslletar (to cease giving milk) · ru отлуча́ть (to cease giving milk) · ca desacostumar (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated) · fr sevrer (to cease giving milk) · es destetar (to cease giving milk) · fr déshabituer (to cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated)