pan
pan Lexical Profile
pan Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A broad, shallow container, typically with a handle, used for cooking, baking, or other domestic purposes.
"She melted a tablespoon of butter in the pan before pouring in the pancake batter."
A natural or artificial shallow depression in the ground, often containing water or accumulating salt.
"After the brief rainstorm, the salt pan glistened brightly in the desert sun."
A harsh criticism or highly negative review of a creative work.
"The director was devastated by the universal pan his new film received from major critics."
• verb
To swing a video or film camera horizontally to give a panoramic effect or follow a subject.
"The camera slowly pans across the city skyline before focusing on the protagonist."
To criticize severely (especially a film, book, or play).
"Reviewers absolutely panned the sequel, calling it a soulless cash grab."
To wash gravel or soil in a shallow vessel to separate gold or other heavy minerals.
"During the gold rush, thousands of prospectors stood in freezing rivers to pan for fortune."
• Rhymes for pan
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The noun denoting a cooking vessel comes from Old English 'panne' of Proto-Germanic origin. The verb meaning to sweep a camera horizontally is a 20th-century abbreviation of 'panorama' (from Greek 'pan' meaning 'all' and 'horama' meaning 'view').