Van

n.	1.	The front of an army; the first line or leading column; also, the front line or foremost division of a fleet, either in sailing or in battle. Standards and gonfalons, twixt van and rear, Stream in the air. - Milton.
	1.	(Mining) A shovel used in cleansing ore.
v. t.	1.	(Mining) To wash or cleanse, as a small portion of ore, on a shovel.
n.	1.
	1.	A light wagon, either covered or open, used by tradesmen and others for the transportation of goods.
	2.	A large covered wagon for moving furniture, etc., also for conveying wild beasts, etc., for exhibition.
	3.	A closed railway car for baggage. See the Note under Car, 2.
	1.
	1.	A fan or other contrivance, as a sieve, for winnowing grain.
	2.	A wing with which the air is beaten. He wheeled in air, and stretched his vans in vain; His vans no longer could his flight sustain. - Dryden.
v. t.	1.	To fan, or to cleanse by fanning; to winnow.

Noun	1.	van - any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts) Synonyms: avant-garde, new wave, vanguard
	2.	van - the leading units moving at the head of an army Synonyms: vanguard
	3.	van - a camper equipped with living quarters Synonyms: caravan
	4.	van - a truck with an enclosed cargo space

VAN - Value Added Network

Value Added NetworkConestoga wagon, Pullman, Pullman car, advance guard, airhead, anteposition, armed guard, avant-garde, baggage car, bank guard, battle line, beachhead, boxcar, bridgehead, caboose, car, caravan, carriage, chair car, coach, coal car, coast guard, cordon, cordon sanitaire, covered waggon, covered wagon, day coach, diner, dinghy, dining car, drawing room, dray, farthest outpost, first line, flat, flatcar, forefront, foregoing, front, front line, front rank, front-runner, garrison, goalie, goalkeeper, goaltender, gondola, guard, guarder, guardsman, haywagon, heading, inlying picket, jailer, le pas, leading, line, local, luggage van, mail car, mail van, outguard, outpost, palace car, parlor car, passenger car, picket, pioneer, point, prairie schooner, precedence, preceding, precursor, priority, railhead, railway car, rear guard, reefer, refrigerator car, roomette, scout, security guard, sleeper, smoker, smoking car, spearhead, stockcar, tank, tender, the lead, train guard, truck, vanguard, waggon, wagon, wain, warder