Meaning & Definition of word "Pan"

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    Pan

    /pæn/

    noun:

    • 1. A shallow, flat-bottomed container used for cooking or baking.
      • Example: She placed the cake batter in the round pan before putting it in the oven.
    • 2. A wide, shallow dish or bowl, often used to hold food or for serving.
      • Example: The chef used a large pan to serve the pasta to the guests.
    • 3. A metal container, with or without a handle, for holding and cooking food.
      • Example: Don't forget to flip the steak in the frying pan.

    verb:

    • 1. To move a camera horizontally to follow a subject.
      • Example: The director instructed the cameraman to pan across the audience during the performance.
    • 2. To criticize severely; to critique harshly.
      • Example: The film was panned by critics for its poor storyline.

    Etymology

    Middle English pan, from Old English panna.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    pan out:

    To have a successful outcome.

    pan and scan:

    A technique to fit a wide screen image into a standard screen size.

    pan over:

    To move a camera horizontally across a scene.

    Related Words

    frying pan:

    A flat-bottomed pan used for frying foods.

    skillet:

    A heavy pan used for frying or cooking food.

    Slang Meanings of pan

    Meaning: To criticize heavily.

    Example Sentence: The film was panned by most critics.

    Meaning: To shoot video with sweeping camera movements.

    Example Sentence: They decided to pan the shot to include the audience.