Pan, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Panned p. pr. & vb. n. Panning.]
1. Mining To separate, as gold, from dirt or sand, by washing in a kind of pan. [U. S.]
We . . . witnessed the process of cleaning up and panning out, which is the last process of separating the pure gold from the fine dirt and black sand. --Gen. W. T. Sherman.
pan
n 1: cooking utensil consisting of a wide metal vessel [syn: cooking
pan]
2: (Greek mythology) god of fields and woods and shepherds and
flocks; represented as a man with goat's legs and horns
and ears; identified with Roman Sylvanus or Faunus [syn: the
goat god]
3: shallow container made of metal
4: chimpanzees; more closely related to Australopithecus than
to other pongids [syn: genus Pan]
v 1: make a sweeping movement; "The camera panned across the
room"
2: wash dirt in a pan to separate out the precious minerals
[syn: pan out, pan off]
3: express a totally negative opinion of; "The critics panned
the performance" [syn: tear apart, trash]
[also: panning, panned]