fan
(the) shit is going to hit the fan
rude slang Some situation will become even more problematic, detrimental, or difficult to deal with. We're under a lot of scrutiny now, but the shit is really going to hit the fan if news of this payoff goes public. Shit is going to hit the fan if mom and dad find out I took the car out without their permission.
See also: fan, going, hit, shit
(the) shit will hit the fan
rude slang Some situation will become even more problematic, detrimental, or difficult to deal with. We're under a lot of scrutiny now, but the shit will really hit the fan if news of this payoff goes public. Shit will hit the fan if mom and dad find out I took the car out without their permission.
See also: fan, hit, shit, will
a fan of (someone or something)
Someone who strongly likes, appreciates, supports, or is interested in someone or something. You might find this hard to believe, but Cheryl's a big fan of heavy metal. I'm a big fan of Jen's new boyfriend—especially after the parade of losers she's brought home over the years! Sorry, but I'm not really a fan of Art Deco.
See also: fan, of
be a fan of (someone or something)
To strongly like, appreciate, support, and/or be interested in someone or something. You might find this hard to believe, but Cheryl's a big fan of heavy metal. I'm a big fan of Jen's new boyfriend—especially after the parade of losers she's brought home over the years! Sorry, but I'm not really a fan of Art Deco.
See also: fan, of
become a fan of (someone or something)
To begin to like, appreciate, support, and/or be interested in someone or something. You might find this hard to believe, but Cheryl's become a big fan of heavy metal over the years. I've become a fan of Jen's new boyfriend, and, yes, the fact that he brought me fancy chocolates did help!
See also: become, fan, of
fair-weather fan
A person who is supportive of and enthusiastic about a sports team only when that team is performing well. I've been rooting for the home team in their playoff run, but I'll admit I'm just a fair-weather fan.
See also: fan
fan canon
Aspects or material that are not officially part of the source material (of a work of fiction) but that fans promote or think could logically exist or occur in the source material. Also known as "fanon" and "head canon" (although the latter can also be applied to an individual fan's ideas, as opposed to those that have gained widespread currency). That pairing must be fan canon because I definitely don't remember seeing those two kiss in any episode of the series.
See also: canon, fan
fan dance
1. Literally, a striptease or exotic dance employing the use of large fans to conceal, suggest, or slowly reveal the nudity of the performer. While striptease is often relegated in the public imagination to seedy bars and desperate women, the fan dances performed in this club are truly beautiful.
2. By extension, any incremental exposure or divulgence of information, especially that which is tantalizing or of great interest. The filmmaker has been doing something of a fan dance over the past few weeks, offering tiny bits of information about who will be in his upcoming blockbuster.
See also: dance, fan
fan out
1. To spread out over a certain area. Fan out and search the entire neighborhood!
2. To spread something out. Fan out all the pages so that I can figure out what's missing.
See also: fan, out
fan service
The act (by writers, creative directors, etc.) of attempting to please the fans of a work of fiction (typically a TV show) by depicting or incorporating certain aspects or character pairings that fans have promoted, requested, or shown interest in. With all the callbacks to the previous 199 episodes, and allusions to the interests of the show's rabid fan base, the musical episode of "Supernatural" is total fan service—and I love it.
See also: fan, service
fan the breeze
To chat or converse aimlessly or casually, without any serious topic of conversation. Customers always want to fan the breeze with me in the store before they buy something. I just fanned the breeze with John for a while when he passed me on the street.
See also: breeze, fan
fan the flames
To do or say something to make an argument, problem, or bad situation worse; to further incense an already angry person or group of people. The debate was going poorly for the senatorial candidate, and his strikingly uncouth comments simply fanned the flames. Revelations of the CEO's massive retirement package fanned the flames for consumers already furious over the company's dubious financial dealings.
See also: fan, flame
fans are slans
dated slang A phrase used in science fiction fandoms indicating that fans of sci-fi are intellectually and imaginatively superior to fans of other media, though often marginalized or harassed by them. A reference to the 1940 science fiction novel Slan by A. E. van Vogt, in which the titular Slans, a race of evolved humans, are persecuted for their superior intelligence. Primarily heard in US. The days of sci-fi and fantasy fans as social outsiders spouting "fans are slans" to each other has thankfully begun to fade away, as so-called "geek culture" begins evermore to dominate pop culture as a whole.
See also: fan
hit the fan
To become more of a problem or more widespread or publicized. Once this scandal hits the fan, all of our investors are liable to pull out of the company.
See also: fan, hit
(the) shit hits the fan
rude slang Things become suddenly very chaotic, disastrous, difficult, or controversial. The company has been trying to distance itself from the outspoken director before he says something horribly offensive and the shit really hits the fan. I know you think your job is secure, but you should always be prepared in case shit ever hits the fan. He seems qualified on paper, but how do you think he'll perform under pressure when the shit hits the fan?
See also: fan, hit, shit
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
*fan of someone
to be a follower of someone; to idolize someone. (*Typically: be ~; become ~.) My mother is still a fan of the Beatles. I'm a great fan of the mayor of the town.
See also: fan, of
fan out
Fig. to spread out over a wide area. The searchers fanned out, looking for the child lost in the woods. Let's fan out and search a wider area.
See also: fan, out
fan out (from some place)
to spread outward from a particular area. The paths seem to fan out from the wide trail that starts at the house. The trails fanned out and soon we were all separated.
See also: fan, out
fan something out
to spread something out so that all parts can be seen better. (As one opens a wood and paper fan.) Todd fanned the cards out so we could see which ones he held. He fanned out the cards.
See also: fan, out
fan the breeze
Fig. to chat or gossip. We're just fanning the breeze, so you didn't interrupt anything. Stop fanning the breeze and get to work.
See also: breeze, fan
fan the flames (of something)
Fig. to make something more intense; to make a situation worse. The riot fanned the flames of racial hatred even more. The hostility in the school is bad enough without anyone fanning the flames.
See also: fan, flame
hit the fan
Inf. Fig. to become publicly known; to become a scandal. (From the phrase when the shit hit the fan.) I wasn't even in the country when it hit the fan. It hit the fan, and within ten minutes the press had spread it all over the world.
See also: fan, hit
when the shit hits the fan
Sl. when all the expected trouble materializes. When the shit hits the fan, you had better be prepared to support those of us who are involved in this mess.
See also: fan, hit, shit
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
fan the flames
Intensify or stir up feelings; exacerbate an explosive situation. For example, She already found him attractive, but his letters really fanned the flames, or His speech fanned the flames of racial dissension.
See also: fan, flame
shit will hit the fan, the
Also, when or then the shit hits the fan . There will be major trouble, often following the disclosure of a piece of information. For example, When they find out they were firing on their own planes, the shit will hit the fan. This idiom calls up the graphic image of feces spread by a rapidly revolving electric fan. [ Vulgar slang; c. 1930]
See also: hit, shit, will
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
fan the flames
COMMON If something that someone says or does fans the flames, it makes a bad situation worse. There are several specific and new issues that are fanning the flames in this dispute. Lee's latest film, based on the life of Malcolm X, is set to fan the flames of controversy even higher. Compare with add fuel to the fire. Note: To fan flames means to make them burn more strongly by waving a fan or other flat object next to them.
See also: fan, flame
the shit hits the fan
INFORMAL, VERY RUDEIf the shit hits the fan, serious trouble suddenly starts. If I was them, I'd be planning to pull out before the shit hits the fan. Then Gene heard about the matter and the shit really hit the fan. Note: People sometimes replace shit with a less offensive word. Tom visited us in Canada shortly before the stuff hit the fan.
See also: fan, hit, shit
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
when the shit hits the fan
when a situation becomes critical; when the disastrous consequences of something become public.See also: fan, hit, shit
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
fan the ˈflames (of something)
make a feeling such as anger, hatred, etc. worse: His writings fanned the flames of racism.See also: fan, flame
(when) the ˌshit hits the ˈfan
(taboo, slang) (when) somebody in authority finds out about something bad or wrong that somebody has done: When the committee finds out what actually happened, the shit will really hit the fan.See also: fan, hit, shit
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
fan out
v.
1. To move or project outward from a central source or point: The troops landed on the beachhead and fanned out.
2. To lay out or place something in a fanlike shape: I fanned the cards out on the table. They fanned out the photos on the desk so we could see them.
See also: fan, out
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
fan
tv. to ignore someone or something; to cut a class; to blow someone/something off. (Fan = blow as in blow someone off. Fan, from fanatic meaning “devotee” or “admirer” is very old and is Standard English.) You have to meet with your teacher? Oh, fan that. It doesn’t matter.
fan the breeze
tv. to chat or gossip. We’re just fanning the breeze, so you didn’t interrupt anything.
See also: breeze, fan
hit the fan
tv. to become publicly known; to become a scandal. (From the phrase when the shit hit the fan.) It hit the fan, and within ten minutes the press had spread it all over the world.
See also: fan, hit
when the shit hits the fan
tv. when all the expected trouble materializes. (Usually objectionable.) When the shit hits the fan, you had better be prepared to support those of us who are involved in this mess. We had one hell of an afternoon around here. Where were you when the shit hit the fan?
See also: fan, hit, shit
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
hit the fan
Slang To have serious, usually adverse consequences.
See also: fan, hit
when the shit hits the fan
When the situation goes awry; when trouble starts.
See also: fan, hit, shit
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
fan the flames, to
To exacerbate an already inflammable situation, or to revive a flagging situation. The fact that wind stirs up a fire has, of course, been known since ancient times, but the precise metaphor here, with its alliterative lilt, is considerably newer. Dickens used it in The Old Curiosity Shop (1840): “Fan the sinking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship.”
See also: fan
shit hits the fan, (when) the
There’ll be a violent reckoning, big trouble. This vulgar slangy term dates from about 1930. Some believe it alludes to feces being thrown about by a revolving fan. Morris West wrote, “We’ll have it back on the wires in time for the Monday editions . . . Then the shit hits the fan. It might be wise if you went away” (Harlequin, 1974; cited by Eric Partridge).
See also: hit, shit
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
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