WordGarden.iopan
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /pæn/informalnot-comparableadjective
US
- /ˈpæn/
Meanings
Noun
a shallow metal container used especially for cooking food
Verb
to criticize something harshly, especially in a review
to move a camera smoothly across a scene
to wash sediment in a shallow pan to look for gold
Beyond the definition
This word is not just for the kitchen. Most often, it means a shallow, wide container used for cooking, like a frying pan or cake pan. But it also works as a verb. Someone can pan for gold by washing sand and gravel in a shallow dish, hoping the heavier gold stays behind.
It also appears in film and photography. If a camera pans, it moves from side to side to show more of a scene. In another common sense, a critic can pan a movie, play, or book, meaning to judge it very harshly. There is also the prefix pan-, from Greek, meaning "all," as in Pan-American or pan-European.
The word "pan" covers several meanings that come from different histories. The most common one today is a shallow container used for cooking or holding things. You might fry eggs in a frying pan, bake brownies in a cake pan, or place ingredients in a pan before they go into the oven. This basic idea of a broad, open container is the meaning most learners will meet first.
As a verb, "pan" has a few important uses. In gold mining, to pan for gold means to wash sand or gravel in a shallow dish so that gold, if present, can be separated out. In photography and filmmaking, to pan means to move a camera horizontally, usually to follow a subject or reveal more of a place. In reviews, to pan something means to criticize it very harshly, as when a reviewer pans a new film.
There is also pan- as a prefix, and this is a different but very common part of English. From Greek, it means "all" or "including everything," which is why we see it in words such as pandemic, Pan-American, and pan-European. So depending on the context, this small word might point to a kitchen tool, a camera movement, gold washing, strong criticism, or the idea of something broad and all-inclusive.
Examples
- 1
Cooking
Heat a little oil in a large pan before you add the onions.
- 2
Cleaning
She put the dirty pan in the sink to soak.
- 3
Baking quantity
We made a pan of brownies for the party.
- Patterna pan of + baked food
enough to fill one baking pan
- 4
Baking pan
Pour the mixture into a baking pan and smooth the top.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Camera movement
The camera panned slowly across the crowd.
- Domain
in film or video, pan means move a camera slowly from one side to another
- 6
Reviews
Critics panned the movie when it came out.
- Usagepan something
criticize it strongly, especially in a review
- 7
Planning
Our first idea did not pan out, so we tried a simpler plan.
- Phrasepan out
happen or succeed as hoped
- 8
Gold prospecting
Tourists can still pan for gold in parts of the river.
- Phrasepan for gold
wash sand or stones in a shallow pan to look for gold
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- panverbnoun
Forms
- pansverbnoun
- pannedpast tenseverbnoun
- panning-ing formverbnoun