Wean (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Weaned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Weaning.] [OE. wenen, AS. wenian, wennan, to accustom; akin to D. wennen, G. gewohnen, OHG. giwennan, Icel. venja, Sw. vanja, Dan. vaenne, Icel. vanr accustomed, wont; cf. AS. awenian to wean, G. entwohnen. See Wont, a.]
1.
To accustom and reconcile, as a child or other young animal, to a want or deprivation of mother's milk; to take from the breast or udder; to cause to cease to depend on the mother nourishment.
And the child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
Gen. xxi. 8.
2.
Hence, to detach or alienate the affections of, from any object of desire; to reconcile to the want or loss of anything.
"
Wean them from themselves."
Shak.
The troubles of age were intended . . . to wean us gradually from our fondness of life.
Swift.
© Webster 1913.
Wean, n.
A weanling; a young child.
I, being but a yearling wean.
Mrs. Browning.
© Webster 1913.