Vans meaning : A covered vehicle used for carrying goods or people, usually roughly cuboid in shape, longer and higher than a car but smaller than a truck/lorry. An enclosed railway vehicle for transport of goods. A light wagon, either covered or open, used by tradesmen and others for the transportation of goods. A large towable vehicle equipped for the repair of structures that cannot easily be moved. To transport in a van or similar vehicle (especially of horses). (used in passive voice) Of law enforcement: to arrest (not necessarily in a van; derived from party van). A shovel used in cleansing ore. To wash or cleanse, as a small portion of ore, on a shovel. A fan or other contrivance, such as a sieve, for winnowing grain. A wing with which the air is beaten. The leading units at the front of an army or fleet. (by extension) The person(s) at the forefront of any group or movement.