fan

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(the) shit hits the fan

rude slang Things have become suddenly very chaotic, disastrous, difficult, or controversial. The company has been trying to distance itself from the outspoken director before he says something horribly offensive and the shit really hits the fan. I know you think your job is secure, but you should always be prepared in case shit ever hits the fan. He seems qualified on paper, but how do you think he'll perform under pressure when the shit hits the fan?

(the) shit's about to hit the fan

rude slang Some situation is soon to become even more problematic, detrimental, or difficult to deal with. A: "I hear the shit's about to hit the fan for that company." B: "So the rumors are true? They really did pay people off to cover up a scandal?" Mom and Dad found out that I took the car out without their permission? Oh man, the shit's about to hit the fan then. I always keep my résumé updated because you just never know when the shit's about to hit the fan in Corporate America.

a fan of (someone or something)

Someone who strongly likes, appreciates, supports, or is interested in someone or something. You might find this hard to believe, but Cheryl's a big fan of heavy metal. I'm a big fan of Jen's new boyfriend—especially after the parade of losers she's brought home over the years! Sorry, but I'm not really a fan of Art Deco.

bandwagon fan

Someone who joins or supports something, usually a sports team, only after it is successful or popular. I can't stand the bandwagon fans who've come out of the woodwork now that the team is winning. Where were they during last year's awful season? I'm no bandwagon fan—I support these guys no matter what, win or lose! Please, you're just a bandwagon fan—you only care about the Giants when they're in the playoffs.

be a fan of (someone or something)

To greatly enjoy, appreciate, support, or be interested in someone or something. You might find this hard to believe, but Cheryl's a big fan of heavy metal. I'm a big fan of Jen's new boyfriend—especially after the parade of losers she's brought home over the years! Sorry, but I'm not really a fan of Art Deco.

become a fan of (someone or something)

To begin to like, appreciate, support, or be interested in someone or something. You might find this hard to believe, but Cheryl's become a big fan of heavy metal over the years. I've become a fan of Jen's new boyfriend, and, yes, the fact that he brought me fancy chocolates did help! I can't believe you've become a fan of that supernatural fantasy show—that's not the type of thing you're usually into.

fair-weather fan

A person who is supportive of and enthusiastic about a sports team only when that team is performing well. I've been rooting for the home team in their playoff run, but I'll admit I'm just a fair-weather fan. Yeah, I get sad when the Marlins lose, but I still support them regardless. I'm not a fair-weather fan. Please, you're just a fair-weather fan. I know you can't name five players on the team!

fan canon

Aspects or material that are not officially part of the source material (of a work of fiction) but that fans promote or think could logically exist or occur in the source material. Also known as "fanon" and "head canon" (although the latter can also be applied to an individual fan's ideas, as opposed to those that have gained widespread currency). That pairing must be fan canon because I definitely don't remember seeing those two kiss in any episode of the series. Devon swears that there was a fourth wizard, which must be fan canon on some corner of the Internet. After noticing the chemistry between those two actors, fans have pushed for them to be coupled up. So far, though, nothing—they're still only together in fan canon.

fan dance

1. Literally, a striptease or exotic dance employing the use of large fans to conceal, suggest, or slowly reveal the nudity of the performer. While striptease is often relegated in the public imagination to seedy bars and desperate women, the fan dances performed in this club are truly beautiful. They want me to do a fan dance, but I'm just so clumsy, though. I'm definitely going to drop a fan and accidentally reveal my body halfway through! That fan dance was way more than just nudity or the removal of clothes. I think I understand why the term "exotic dance" exists now.

2. By extension, any incremental exposure or divulgence of information, especially that which is tantalizing or of great interest. The filmmaker has been doing something of a fan dance over the past few weeks, offering tiny bits of information about who will be in his upcoming blockbuster. You know the general public will only get more information about the actor's legal dispute in a fan dance. And, even then, we'll never learn all the details. This fan dance is so annoying—just tell me what's going on!

fan out

1. To spread out over a certain area. Fan out and search the entire neighborhood! I know there are a ton of cops fanned out in this area, so how is the escaped convict still on the loose? Let's not panic. The dog couldn't have gotten far, so let's just fan out and search the whole park.

2. To spread something out. Fan out all the pages so that I can figure out what's missing. Can you fan out those books over there? We need to put them in alphabetical order too. I fanned out all the files so people can easily find the one with their name when they check in.

See also: fan, out

fan service

The act (by writers, creative directors, etc.) of attempting to please the fans of a work of fiction (typically a TV show) by depicting or incorporating certain aspects or character pairings that fans have promoted, requested, or shown interest in. With all the callbacks to the previous 199 episodes, and allusions to the interests of the show's rabid fan base, the musical episode of Supernatural is total fan service—and I love it. A: "I'm OK with fan service if it leads to an outcome I want." B: "Wow, you and everybody else, LOL." Jackson leaving Grey's Anatomy with April was fan service, and I loved every minute of it. Those two never should have broken up!

fan the breeze

To chat or converse aimlessly or casually, without any serious topic of conversation. Customers always want to fan the breeze with me in the store before they buy something. I just fanned the breeze with John for a while when he passed me on the street. While I waited for my lunch to heat up, I fanned the breeze with Amanda the intern about her school year.

fan the flames

To do or say something to make an argument, problem, or bad situation worse; to further incense an already angry person or group of people. The debate was going poorly for the senatorial candidate, and his strikingly uncouth comments simply fanned the flames. Revelations of the CEO's massive retirement package fanned the flames for consumers already furious over the company's dubious financial dealings. Anything the mayor says will just fan the flames, so do not let him speak to reporters about this sensitive issue.

See also: fan, flame

fans are slans

dated slang A phrase used in science fiction fandoms indicating that fans of sci-fi are intellectually and imaginatively superior to fans of other media, though often marginalized or harassed by them. A reference to the 1940 science fiction novel Slan by A. E. van Vogt, in which the titular Slans, a race of evolved humans, are persecuted for their superior intelligence. Primarily heard in US. The days of sci-fi and fantasy fans as social outsiders spouting "fans are slans" to each other has thankfully begun to fade away, as so-called "geek culture" begins evermore to dominate pop culture as a whole. I imagine it's harder to maintain the notion that "fans are slans" when fantasy shows like Game of Thrones become massively popular. I'm a big sci-fi fan, but I don't subscribe to "fans are slans," or anything like that. I don't think I'm superior to anyone else just because of the content I prefer.

hit the fan

To become more of a problem or more widespread or publicized. Once this scandal hits the fan, all of our investors are liable to pull out of the company. It's only a matter of time until Mom and Dad figure out you lied, and then things will really hit the fan! Well, I just got served with divorce papers, so everything has officially hit the fan.

See also: fan, hit

when (the) shit hits the fan

rude slang The point at which things become suddenly very chaotic, difficult, or disastrous. The company had been in turmoil for a while, but it was when their CEO made several racist remarks on air that shit really hit the fan. He seems qualified on paper, but how do you think he'll perform under pressure when the shit hits the fan?

*fan of someone

to be a follower of someone; to idolize someone. (*Typically: be ~; become ~.) My mother is still a fan of the Beatles. I'm a great fan of the mayor of the town.

fan out

Fig. to spread out over a wide area. The searchers fanned out, looking for the child lost in the woods. Let's fan out and search a wider area.

See also: fan, out

fan out (from some place)

to spread outward from a particular area. The paths seem to fan out from the wide trail that starts at the house. The trails fanned out and soon we were all separated.

See also: fan, out

fan something out

to spread something out so that all parts can be seen better. (As one opens a wood and paper fan.) Todd fanned the cards out so we could see which ones he held. He fanned out the cards.

See also: fan, out

fan the breeze

Fig. to chat or gossip. We're just fanning the breeze, so you didn't interrupt anything. Stop fanning the breeze and get to work.

fan the flames (of something)

Fig. to make something more intense; to make a situation worse. The riot fanned the flames of racial hatred even more. The hostility in the school is bad enough without anyone fanning the flames.

See also: fan, flame

hit the fan

Inf. Fig. to become publicly known; to become a scandal. (From the phrase when the shit hit the fan.) I wasn't even in the country when it hit the fan. It hit the fan, and within ten minutes the press had spread it all over the world.

See also: fan, hit

fan the flames

Intensify or stir up feelings; exacerbate an explosive situation. For example, She already found him attractive, but his letters really fanned the flames, or His speech fanned the flames of racial dissension.

See also: fan, flame

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

fan the flames

COMMON If something that someone says or does fans the flames, it makes a bad situation worse. There are several specific and new issues that are fanning the flames in this dispute. Lee's latest film, based on the life of Malcolm X, is set to fan the flames of controversy even higher. Compare with add fuel to the fire. Note: To fan flames means to make them burn more strongly by waving a fan or other flat object next to them.

See also: fan, flame

fan the ˈflames (of something)

make a feeling such as anger, hatred, etc. worse: His writings fanned the flames of racism.

See also: fan, flame

fan out

1. To move or project outward from a central source or point: The troops landed on the beachhead and fanned out.

2. To lay out or place something in a fanlike shape: I fanned the cards out on the table. They fanned out the photos on the desk so we could see them.

See also: fan, out

fan

tv. to ignore someone or something; to cut a class; to blow someone/something off. (Fan = blow as in blow someone off. Fan, from fanatic meaning “devotee” or “admirer” is very old and is Standard English.) You have to meet with your teacher? Oh, fan that. It doesn’t matter.

fan the breeze

tv. to chat or gossip. We’re just fanning the breeze, so you didn’t interrupt anything.

hit the fan

tv. to become publicly known; to become a scandal. (From the phrase when the shit hit the fan.) It hit the fan, and within ten minutes the press had spread it all over the world.

See also: fan, hit

hit the fan

Slang

To have serious, usually adverse consequences.

See also: fan, hit

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

fan the flames, to

To exacerbate an already inflammable situation, or to revive a flagging situation. The fact that wind stirs up a fire has, of course, been known since ancient times, but the precise metaphor here, with its alliterative lilt, is considerably newer. Dickens used it in The Old Curiosity Shop (1840): “Fan the sinking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship.”