fan out

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Certainly! Let's break down the phrase "fan out" in a simple way.

Definition:

"Fan out" is a verb phrase that means to spread apart or move outward from a central point. Imagine how the spokes of a wheel spread out from the center—that's similar to what it means to "fan out."

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "fan out" when talking about people, objects, or groups that are spreading apart or moving away from each other.
• It is often used in contexts like military operations, search parties, or even when organizing items.

Example:

• In a sentence: "The soldiers fanned out to cover more ground during the search."
  • Here, it means the soldiers moved away from each other to search a larger area.

Advanced Usage:

• "Fan out" can also be used in a figurative sense. For example, if you have a large group of friends and you all go to different places at a party, you can say, "We fanned out to enjoy the different activities."

Word Variants:

• Fanned out (past tense): "The team fanned out across the field."
• Fanning out (present participle): "They are fanning out to find the best spots for the picnic."

Different Meanings:

While "fan out" primarily refers to spreading apart, it can also be used in specific contexts: - In technology, it can mean distributing data or signals to different locations.

Synonyms:

• Spread out
• Disperse
• Scatter

Related Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "Spread like wildfire": This means to spread quickly, similar to how "fan out" works but often used for information or news.
• "Branch out": This means to expand or grow in different directions, which can be similar to "fanning out" in a metaphorical sense.

Summary:

"Fan out" is a useful phrase that describes the action of moving away from a central point, and it can be applied in various contexts.

Academic

Verb

1. move outward
   • The soldiers fanned out

Synonyms

• diffuse
• spread
• spread out