machine used to raise wind, and cool the air by agitating it. The custom which now prevails of wearing fans was borrowed from the east, where they are almost indispensably necessary for keeping off the sun and the flies. Fans are made of a thin skin or a piece of paper, taffety, or other light stuff cut circularly, and mounted on several little sticks of wood, ivory, tortoise-shell, or the like. The paper, &c., is usually painted; and, in mounting, is plaited in such a manner that the plait may be alternately inward and outward.